gift

Meanings

Noun

• Something given to another voluntarily, without charge.
• A talent or natural ability.
• Something gained incidentally, without effort.
• The act, right, or power of giving or bestowing.

Verb

• To give as a gift or donation.
• To give away, to concede easily.

Related

Similar words

• For beneficial actions, see favor.
• ability, aptitude, knack, talent, strength
• contribute
• donate
• give

Origin

• From Middle English gift (also yift, yeft, ȝift, ȝeft), partly from Old English ġift ("giving, consideration, dowry, wedding") and Old Norse gipt; both from Proto-Germanic *giftiz. Equivalent to give + -th (etymologically yive + -th). Cognate with West Frisian jefte, Saterland Frisian Gift, German Low German Gift, Dutch gift and its doublet gif, German Gift, Swedish gift, Icelandic gift. yift.