1520s, "graciousness," from French gratuité (14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin gratuitatem (nominative gratuitas) "free gift," probably from Latin gratuitus "done without pay, spontaneous, voluntary," from gratus "pleasing, agreeable," from gratia "favor" (from suffixed form of PIE root *gwere- (2) "to favor"). Meaning "money given for favor or services" is first attested 1530s.
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