lagniappe

/lænˈjæp/

//lænˈjæp// noun

"lagniappe" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lagniappe” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An extra or unexpected gift or benefit, such as that given to customers when they purchase something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lagniappe · lagniappe · English

lagniappe · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "L" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for lagniappe
PropertyValue
Headwordlagniappe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/lænˈjæp/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “lagniappe” in English

lagniapperanks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lagniappe is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /lænˈjæp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "An extra or unexpected gift or benefit, such as that given to customers when they purchase something.".

No misspelling variants are generated for lagniappe in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Cajun French lagniappe, from Spanish la ñapa, a variant of yapa (“small gift or additional quantity given to a valued customer”), from Quechua yapa (“addition, increase, supplement; lagniappe”), yapay (“to add, to increase”). The correct English form is lagniappe, spelled L-A-G-N-I-A-P-P-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An extra or unexpected gift or benefit, such as that given to customers when they purchase something.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how lagniappe appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Lefe had been successful, and was supposed to have amassed quite a "pile," which he was very loth indeed to part with; and when he lost, if the money were not absolutely staked, would usually put off the winner with some old horse that he had fixed up for sale, or a dubious note that he had received as "lanyappe," (Anglice, boot money.)
  2. Lanyap. Something over and above. Louisiana.

Etymology

From Cajun French lagniappe, from Spanish la ñapa, a variant of yapa (“small gift or additional quantity given to a valued customer”), from Quechua yapa (“addition, increase, supplement; lagniappe”), yapay (“to add, to increase”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lagniappe"?
"lagniappe" is spelled L-A-G-N-I-A-P-P-E. The IPA pronunciation is /lænˈjæp/.
What does "lagniappe" mean?
As a noun, "lagniappe" means: An extra or unexpected gift or benefit, such as that given to customers when they purchase something.
How do you pronounce "lagniappe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lagniappe" is /lænˈjæp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lagniappe"?
From Cajun French lagniappe, from Spanish la ñapa, a variant of yapa (“small gift or additional quantity given to a valued customer”), from Quechua yapa (“addition, increase, supplement; lagniappe”), yapay (“to add, to increase”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list