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
  • The bonus points for a win eliminated van Gisbergen, who had a 31-point lead over Preece entering the regular-season finale.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Singapore is overhauling its landmark baby bonus scheme, first introduced in 2001, as the city’s fertility rate and number of births fall to record lows.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of bonus
Noun
  • Anedda’s capacity to turn perspectives around by narrating unwritten angles in the same story is her most characteristic gift.
    — Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • According to the committee’s report, Edwards invited young female staffers to dinner and strip clubs, gave them gifts, wrote them notes, and repeatedly tried to see them.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of gift
Noun
  • Its board recently declared a third-quarter dividend of 82 cents per share, up from 78 cents a year earlier.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Damascus’s challenge is to use the dividends from its newfound importance in regional trade to build functioning institutions, distribute resources for recovery, and overcome historical animosities.
    — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dividend
Noun
  • According to the organization, the donation is the largest private donation that Rozana USA has ever received.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In lieu of flowers, Parton’s family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of donation
Noun
  • Silver Palace's presentation is enhanced by a low, off-center, third-person camera perspective.
    — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Before all that, Rodrigo held a press presentation to share that $10 million would be donated to the orgs, spanning reproductive rights, mental health, domestic violence, and maternal health.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of presentation
Noun
  • Cao’s deeper subject here concerns the wagers people make on their futures and, by extension, the ways risk is deferred and abstracted in our gamified, appified, casino-like present.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Maxton Hall – The World Between Us fans are getting an early Christmas present with the third season of Prime Video’s YA hit launching on December 9.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of present

Browse Nearby Words

lagging
lagniappe
lagniappes
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Lagniappe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lagniappe. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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