lagniappe

noun

ˈlan-ˌyap How to pronounce lagniappe (audio)
Definition of lagniappenext
1
as in bonus
something given in addition to what is ordinarily expected or owed the meal was served with a lagniappe of freshly made cornbread

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in gift
something given to someone without expectation of a return the hotel threw in some free shampoo as a lagniappe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lagniappe Amarys says one of her favorite lagniappes to send folks from out of town is gumbo. — Joshua Carlucci, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2024 In 2017 the Oscars served up an unscripted lagniappe with the flubbed Best Picture announcement. — Brenda Cronin, WSJ, 22 Mar. 2022 The tradition of lagniappe in liquid form continues at Café Degas (four courses $44), which adds a glass of port. — Ian McNulty | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 25 Nov. 2020 Also included were two lemons and a large mandarin, a lagniappe of citrus in an otherwise greens-heavy crate. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2020 Murray is five foot ten and one eighth of an inch, that extra point being lagniappe thrown in by the football gods. — Rich Cohen, Harper's magazine, 19 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lagniappe
  1. bonus
  2. gift
  3. dividend
  4. donation
  5. presentation
  6. present
Noun
  • BetMGM is treating new users to promo code FOXNEWS that provides a refund on your first losing wager, giving up to $1,500 in bonuses.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Rubin told the news outlet that if the business parts ways with the wooden puppet, store employees will receive a $15,000 bonus and the bird’s artist, Bliss Kolb of Seattle, will receive $1 million.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of bonus
Noun
  • The homeowner didn’t charge him rent, and the truck Buchanan drove was a gift, the woman told agents.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Abenante-Villa’s parents buried him with gifts, including a basketball jersey and sports cards.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of gift
Noun
  • But since making that promise in November 2025, as of this month, such dividends have yet to materialize.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Later that same day, August 4, Zuckerberg proposed a dividend of 20 shares of Class C stock for each share of Class A and B shares, paid to all shareholders.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dividend
Noun
  • Combined with its co-founders' pledge to donate 80% of their equity and an employee donation matching program, roughly 20% of Anthropic's shares will be dedicated to public purposes, excluding any additional shares added later.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
  • If a governor does not opt in, that state's taxpayers can still make donations to SGOs and receive the tax credit, but families in that state won't qualify for scholarships or vouchers to pay for educational expenses.
    — Cory Turner, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of donation
Noun
  • Now Birkett gives candidates an AI model and asks them to analyze the data and build a presentation.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • An after party and an international guest list extended the presentation beyond the runway.
    — Footwear News, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of presentation
Noun
  • That’s the dark story Brooke is ready to tell the world in a manuscript she’s brought from Sag Harbor—the world’s least welcome Christmas present.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Dug into the terrain, the 4,400-square-foot house presents as a single story from the front but descends to a lower level.
    — Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of present

Browse Nearby Words

lagging
lagniappe
lagniappes
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Lagniappe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lagniappe. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of emissary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All