gift

1 of 3

noun

ˈgift 

1

: a notable capacity, talent, or endowment

2

: something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation

3

: the act, right, or power of giving

gift

2 of 3

verb

gifted; gifting; gifts

transitive verb

1

: to endow with some power, quality, or attribute

She's been gifted with a beautiful voice.

2

a

: to make a gift of

It makes an excellent choice whether you're gifting one bottle for the honeymoon or a case to be savored for years, or even decades, to come.

—Robert Taylor

b

: present

gifted her with flowers

In this, her ninth novel, she has succeeded in gifting us with a story that will stay with us for a long time.

—Dorothy Rochmis

giftee

ˌgif-ˈtē 

noun

GIFT

3 of 3

abbreviation

gamete intrafallopian transfer; gamete intrafallopian tube transfer

Synonyms

Noun

• bestowal
• comp
• donation
• donative
• fairing [British]
• freebie
• freebee
• giveaway
• handsel
• lagniappe
• largesse
• largess
• present
• presentation

Verb

• bless
• endow
• endue
• indue
• favor
• invest

Choose the Right Synonym for gift

gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something.

gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

Examples of gift in a Sentence

Noun

The money was a gift, not a loan.

She considers her voice a God-given gift.

Verb

gifted with an uncanny ability to persuade people to do things they ordinarily wouldn't

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Check out our splurge-worthy holiday gift ideas 12. —Kasey Caminiti, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024

This $20 ornament would make an excellent gift (and conveniently fits the price range of an under-$25 White Elephant gift exchange!). —Clara McMahon, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

Another watch was gifted to Giuliani by the president of France after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when Giuliani was mayor of New York City. —Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2024

The Food Network alum's daughter is gifted in the arts department. —Erin Clements, People.com, 19 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old Norse, something given, talent; akin to Old English giefan to give

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gift

• a gift from the gods
• charitable gift
• free gift
• gift card
• gift certificate
• gift economy
• gift of gab
• gift of tongues
• gift registry
• gift shop
• gift wrap
• God's gift
• look a gift horse in the mouth

Kids Definition

gift

noun

ˈgift

1

: a special ability : talent

2

: something given : present

Medical Definition

GIFT

abbreviation

gamete intrafallopian transfer; gamete intrafallopian tube transfer

Legal Definition

gift

noun

1

: an intentional and gratuitous transfer of real or personal property by a donor with legal capacity who actually or constructively delivers the property to the donee with the intent of giving up dominion over the property and investing it in the donee who accepts it

broadly : a voluntary transfer of property without compensation see also delivery compare donation, sale

— class gift

: a usually testamentary gift of a sum to a group of unspecified persons whose number and identity and share of the gift will be determined sometime in the future (as at the death of the donor)

— completed gift

: a gift in which the dominion and control of the property is placed beyond the donor's reach

— gift causa mortis \ -​ˈkȯ-​zə-​ˈmȯr-​tis, -​ˈkau̇-​sä-​ˈmȯr-​tēs \ plural gifts causa mortis

: a gift of especially personal property made in contemplation of impending death that is delivered with the intent that the gift take effect only in the event of the donor's death and that it be revoked in the event of survival compare donation inter vivos and donation mortis causa at donation, gift inter vivos and testamentary gift in this entry

— gift inter vivos \ -​ˈin-​tər-​ˈvī-​vōs; -​ˈin-​ter-​ˈvē-​vōs, -​ˈwē-​wōs \ plural gifts inter vivos

: a gift made during the lifetime of the donor and delivered with the intent of surrendering immediately and irrevocably dominion and control over the property compare donation inter vivos at donation, gift causa mortis and testamentary gift in this entry

— gift over plural gifts over

: a gift especially by will of property that takes effect upon the termination or failure of a preceding estate (as a life estate) in the property

— manual gift

: a gift especially under the civil law of Louisiana made of a movable corporeal object by actual delivery and involving no formalities

— split gift

: a gift made by a spouse to a third person that for purposes of gift tax may be considered as given one-half by each spouse to take advantage of tax avoidance devices (as the annual exclusion)

— substitutional gift \ ˌsəb-​stə-​ˈtü-​shə-​nəl-​, -​ˈtyü-​ \

: a gift to a legatee or devisee in substitution for another devisee or legatee who cannot take under the will (as because of death)

called also substitute gift

— testamentary gift

: a gift that does not become effective until the death of the donor

specifically : a gift made in a will compare gift causa mortis and gift inter vivos in this entry

2

: something voluntarily transferred without compensation

3

: a transfer of property for less than adequate consideration other than in the ordinary course of business

—used in the law of gift tax

Note: The amount by which the value of property so transferred exceeds the consideration paid is included in the total amount of taxable gifts made during a calendar year.