Lagniappe (pronounced LAN-yap) means a little something extra, given for free, like the thirteenth doughnut in a baker's dozen or the extra scoop of potato salad on the side. The word came to New Orleans from Spanish speakers in South America, who borrowed it from the Quechua language of the Andes, and Louisiana French gave it the spelling we use today.
That's the dictionary answer. The New Orleans answer is that lagniappe is a whole way of doing business, and once you notice it, you'll see it everywhere.
How to Pronounce Lagniappe
Say LAN-yap. Some people put the stress at the end, lan-YAP, and both are accepted, per Wikipedia's entry on lagniappe. Merriam-Webster has the dictionary definition if you need it for a crossword. The "g" is silent, and so is the final "e."
What you shouldn't say is lag-nee-APP-ee, which is what happens when people try to read it off a sign. Nobody will be mean about it. They'll just quietly say it back to you the right way.
Where the Word Comes From
The trail runs a long way. In Quechua, the language of the Inca and still spoken by millions of people in the Andes, the verb "yapay" means to add or increase. Spanish speakers in South America picked up "yapa" for a small bonus a seller tosses in with a purchase, and "la yapa" or "la ñapa" traveled with Spanish Creoles into colonial New Orleans.
Louisiana French did what it always does with a borrowed word. It kept the "la" stuck to the front and spelled the whole thing like it was French: lagniappe. Wikipedia's entry walks through the steps if you want the linguistics.
Think about that for a second. A word from the Andes ended up as the thing a Magazine Street shopkeeper tosses in your bag.
What Mark Twain Said About Lagniappe
Mark Twain came through New Orleans while writing "Life on the Mississippi," published in 1883, and he fell for the word. In the chapter called "City Sights," he calls it "a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get."
He says he first spotted it in the Picayune newspaper and didn't learn what it meant until his third day in town. Then he explains it the way a local would: it's the thirteenth roll in a baker's dozen, a bit extra thrown in for good measure. He also writes that the custom started in the Spanish part of town, where a buyer would ask for something "for lagniappe" and the shopkeeper would toss in a little extra. He even spells out how people said it back then, something like "lanny-yap."
It's a nice reminder that visitors have been learning this word the hard way for at least 140 years. You're in good company.
Lagniappe in Everyday New Orleans
You'll see lagniappe in the obvious places, like the extra pralines at the counter or a few extra crawfish dumped on your tray at the end of a boil. But it also shows up in ways nobody bothers to name.
It's the bartender who tops off your go-cup on the way out. It's the neighbor who brings over a plate because she "made too much," again.
Restaurants put "lagniappe" on menus for a bonus side, and businesses all over town have it in their names, because there's no better shorthand for "we're generous here."
The idea underneath it is simple: give people a little more than they paid for, and they'll come back. It's an old-fashioned approach to business. We think it's the right one.
Lagniappe at Dirty Coast
We've been on Magazine Street and Chartres Street for twenty years, and the little stuff by the register is our version of lagniappe. Our Gifts Under $20 collection is basically a lagniappe catalog: things to toss in a care package or add to somebody's stocking. The Heads or Tails Crawfish Coin is a good example, a small thing that settles arguments at a boil.
And if you want a shirt that rewards people who know words like this, try If You Can Read This, You're A Local. For more ideas, our list of New Orleans souvenirs that aren't embarrassing is a good next stop, along with our hub post, The New Orleans Alphabet, which covers the rest of the local vocabulary.
Lagniappe Meaning: FAQ
What does lagniappe mean?
Lagniappe means a small extra gift given for free, usually by a merchant to a customer. It's a big part of everyday life in New Orleans and south Louisiana.
How do you pronounce lagniappe?
Say LAN-yap. Some people stress the second syllable, lan-YAP, and both are considered correct.
What language does lagniappe come from?
It traces back to the Quechua word "yapay," meaning to add. Spanish speakers in South America turned it into "la yapa" or "la ñapa," and Louisiana French shaped it into "lagniappe."
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