unentgeltliche

Unentgeltliche is the attributive form of the German adjective unentgeltlich, meaning provided without payment or compensation. The term describes services, transfers, or benefits that are given or received free of charge. The corresponding adverb is also unentgeltlich, used to describe actions done without remuneration.

Etymology and meaning: The word is formed from entgeltlich (remunerated or paid) with the prefix un-, indicating the absence of payment. The related noun unentgeltlichkeit denotes the state or quality of being gratuitous.

Usage and contexts: Unentgeltliche is common in formal writing, public administration, and legal or economic texts. Examples include unentgeltliche Leistungen (services provided free of charge), unentgeltliche Überlassung von Gegenständen (transfer or lending without consideration), and unentgeltliche Zuwendungen (gratuitous donations or benefits). In legal contexts, the term often appears in phrases describing gratuitous acts between private individuals or institutions, or in discussions of free legal aid and other non-remunerated services.

Distinctions: While synonyms like kostenlos or umsonst convey that something costs nothing for the recipient, unentgeltlich emphasizes the absence of compensation within a transfer or service, and is therefore more common in technical, administrative, or legal language. It can also imply a voluntary or non-commercial character in some contexts.

Noun form: The noun Unentgeltlichkeit refers to the state of being gratuitous and is used in academic or legal discussions, for example in analyses of the Unentgeltlichkeit von Vermögenswerten or the gratuitous nature of benefits in a contract.