Freebies

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɹiːbiz/

Definitions

1. A promotional item given at no cost, often used for marketing purposes
2. A complimentary product or service offered as an incentive to attract customers
3. Items received for free, typically used to encourage brand loyalty or awareness

Etymology: "Freebies" is the plural of "freebie", a noun built from the adjective "free" with a playful suffix. The ending came in through a small sound-filling step: a "b" slipped in between "free" and "-ie", giving the easy, bouncy shape that many informal English nouns of the period took on. The result is a word that means exactly what its parts suggest, a free thing, with the affectionate tone of the suffix attached. Because the word is a clear, transparent formation, there is no hidden older meaning to recover. Its sense of goods handed out to win custom or attention comes straight from the plain sense of "free" as "without charge", and the suffix simply makes the idea chatty and familiar. The plural is the ordinary English "-s" added to that informal noun.

Synonyms: complimentary items, giveaways