Is the word 'gratuitous' different in British and American english?

I was watching a Youtube cooking video, where an American chef says of a compliment that she receives:'he never gives gratuitous compliments, so I'll take it!'.

I was confused, as personally, I understood 'gratuitous' to roughly mean 'unnecessary/unjustified' and used with negative connotations, whereas this was positive and seemed to be used to roughly mean 'free'. I looked up a few dictionaries online, and there seem to be a slight variable in the number and priority of definitions.

Here are a few examples: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratuitous (American) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gratuitous (British) https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/gratuitous (British)

My question is: do both American and British people use the two most common definitions quite commonly (ie. 1) meaning 'given unearned or without recompense' 2) meaning 'unnecessary, unjustified, and often harmful or upsetting) Or is there a pattern of use that differs between Americans and British? I ask because I (as a New Zealander - ie. from commonwealth nation) have never really heard anyone around me use 'gratuitous' to mean the former before, so wondering if it's a cultural thing, or just my lack of experience...XD Thank you:)

Solution 1:

I'm a British English speaker.

I'm wondering if you're confused, not because you misunderstand its meaning, per se, but because you've always associated the word gratuitous with negative connotations?

Gratuitous doesn't really have negative or positive connotations in and of itself (it means free, uncalled for, or without good reason) the connotation will come from the noun its modifying. E.g. gratuitous violence being negative but gratuitous legal advice being positive.

In your example, the speaker realises that the person complimenting her doesn't throw them away freely, when uncalled for, or without good reason, so when a compliment is given, it's hard-earned, sincerely meant, and therefore very positive.

As for gratuitous violence or sex being more harmful or upsetting than violence that's integral to the plot, it's not really that it's any more harmful or upsetting, it's just annoyingly unnecessary, in that it's a cheap, blunt tool designed to shock, provoke or arouse a gullible audience, and that's why its connotations, in that context, are so negative.

HTH