donation

noun

do·​na·​tion dō-ˈnā-shən 

: the act or an instance of donating: such as

a

: the making of a gift especially to a charity or public institution

b

: a free contribution : gift

Synonyms

• alms
• benefaction
• beneficence
• charity
• contribution
• philanthropy

Examples of donation in a Sentence

The organization is funded by private donations.

We are grateful for the donation of whatever you can afford to give.

trying to encourage the donation of blood

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2019, the pair surprised an elementary school in Washington D.C. with charitable donations and $100,000. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 16 May 2025

On Tuesday at Colonial, Murray’s mother, father and sister will formally make a $20,000 donation to the Ben Hogan foundation; Hogan’s father died of suicide when the future legend of golf was 9. —Mac Engel may 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2025

According to county records, Tucker made a $2,000 donation to Rackauckas’ campaign in August 2018, after he’d been assigned to investigate the leak. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025

Each voter earns one free vote every 24 hours while additional votes can be cast via donations with each vote costing $1. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 15 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English donatyowne, from Latin donation-, donatio, from donare to present, from donum gift; akin to Latin dare to give — more at date

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing donation

• make a donation

Rhymes for donation

• ablation
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation
• collation

Kids Definition

donation

noun

do·​na·​tion dō-ˈnā-shən 

: a giving of something without charge

also : the thing given (as to charity)

Legal Definition

donation

noun

do·​na·​tion

1

: the making of an especially charitable gift

2

in the civil law of Louisiana : a voluntary transfer of ownership of property from one person to another compare sale

— disguised donation

: a transfer of property (as a sale) that does not have a sufficient reciprocal consideration (as a proportional price) so that it is considered a gratuitous donation and must meet the statutory requirements for a donation (as a notarial act) to be valid

called also donation in disguise

compare simulation

— donation inter vivos \ -​ˌin-​tər-​ˈvī-​ˌvōs, -​ˌin-​ter-​ˈvē-​ˌvōs \

: a donation that transfers property owned by the donor and that takes effect upon the donee's acceptance compare gift inter vivos at gift

— donation mortis causa \ -​ˈmȯr-​tis-​ˈkȯ-​zə, -​ˈmȯr-​tēs-​ˈkau̇-​sä \

: a donation that is to take effect on the donor's death and that is revocable compare gift causa mortis at gift

3

: something that is transferred by a donation