ex gratia
/ɛks ˈɡreɪʃiə/
adverb and adjective
Origin
Latin
ex gratia — out of kindness or favor
Overview
Meaning Now
- Done or given as a favor or gift rather than because of a legal obligation.
- Without the necessity of legal compulsion.
Literal older meaning
from favor
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
ex gratia
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term originates from Roman law and social practice, where acts could be performed 'ex gratia' to maintain social relations or display benevolence without creating a binding legal precedent. It has remained a standard term in common law jurisdictions to distinguish voluntary payments from those made under contractual or statutory duty.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
ex grātiā
“by favor of”
Used in general Roman administrative and social contexts.
- Medieval Latin
ex gratia
“as a grace or favor”
Adopted into ecclesiastical and early legal Latin.
- 17th-century English
ex gratia
“without legal obligation”
Entered legal English to describe payments made voluntarily.
Connections
Word parts
ex
prefix
out of, from
gratia
root
favor, grace, kindness
Related across languages
Italian
di grazia
please or by favor
French
de grâce
by favor
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Related to ex gratia
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.