Bakhshesh

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A form of gratuity or tip given in various cultures, often reflecting generosity in a social context
2. A donation or payment presented to gain favor or express appreciation within transactions
3. An offering typically associated with goodwill or acts of kindness, serving both as a reward and an incentive in interpersonal interactions

Etymology: In Persian, the verb "bakhshidan" meant "to give" or "to bestow," and it also meant "to forgive," so a gift and a pardon were once expressions of the same act of bestowing. The noun "bakhshesh" is the form derived from that verb, and it names the gift itself. The verb is usually linked to the Sanskrit root "bhaj," meaning "to apportion" or "to share out," which points to a shared Indo-Iranian sense of allotting something to someone. Over time the Persian word narrowed toward a payment or present, especially one given to servants, guides, or anyone who had provided a service. In English, the word is generally treated as a loanword from Persian, used for the customary tip in Persian-speaking and neighbouring regions. Its transmission into English passed through travellers' and colonial-era writing, and its use is most often associated with that context.

Synonyms: pardon, forgiveness, clemency, mercy, grace

Antonyms: punishment, retribution, vengeance, penalty, condemnation