lagniappe English · revision 1959

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /lænˈjæp/, /ˈlænjæp/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a Louisiana French spelling^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) of American Spanish ''la ñapa'' “the gift, the addition”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''ñapa'', ''yapa'',^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|qu|yapa|t=something added]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Etymonline) from ''yapay'' “to give more”.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A small gift given by a shopkeeper to a customer with a purchase (1844 in Merriam-Webster; 1849 in the OED and Etymonline).^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word entered the Creole speech of New Orleans^(AHD)^(Etymonline) and is still used chiefly in southern Louisiana for a little extra that a shopkeeper adds to a purchase.^(AHD)^(RHWU) Mark Twain, in ''Life on the Mississippi'' (1883), called it a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get.^(Etymonline) By extension it means any extra or unexpected benefit,^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary) or a tip.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1844 – first recorded (Merriam-Webster).^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1849 – something given over and above a purchase.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1883 – praised by Mark Twain.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chiefly southern Louisiana)'' A small gift given to a customer with a purchase.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An extra or unexpected gift or benefit.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A gratuity or tip.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bonus]]

+ * [[baker's dozen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}