Definition
To win a game, contest, or prize; also to earn money through work.
Example
Elle a gagné la course sans aucun effort.
Show translation
She won the race without any effort.
Etymology
From Old French *gaaignier*, from Frankish *\*waidanjan* (to graze, to forage for food), which extended to mean "to obtain by effort." Related to modern English "gain," both sharing the same Germanic ancestor.
Cultural note
*Gagner* covers two meanings English splits between "to win" and "to earn": *gagner un match* (to win a match) and *gagner de l'argent* (to earn money). Don't confuse it with *mériter* (to deserve) — a French employee doesn't say they "deserve" their salary, they say they "win/earn" it. The phrase *c'est toujours ça de gagné* ("that's always something gained") is a very common everyday expression for making the best of a small victory.