gift

noun

\ ˈgift

Definition of gift

(Entry 1 of 3)

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

verb

gifted; gifting; gifts

Definition of gift (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to endow with some power, quality, or attribute She's been gifted with a beautiful voice.

2a : 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

GIFT

abbreviation

Definition of GIFT (Entry 3 of 3)

gamete intrafallopian transfer; gamete intrafallopian tube transfer

Other Words from gift Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about gift

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Choose the Right Synonym for gift

Noun

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

Here are a dozen more gift ideas for those in your life who love food*, along with the Pacific Northwest stories from the past year that inspired them. — Bethany Jean Clement, The Seattle Times, "The Pacific Northwest foodie gift guide: 14 last-minute, all-local presents," 19 Dec. 2018 Regardless of origin, the baubles make a beautiful and meaningful gift idea. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "This Is What It Means When You See a Bird's Nest Ornament on a Christmas Tree," 17 Dec. 2018 Between the plus-ones on party invitations and being inundated with stories about gift ideas for couples, being single during the holidays can feel less than ideal. — Glamour, "9 Ways to Celebrate Being Single Over the Holidays," 9 Dec. 2018 For more gift ideas, check out Good Housekeeping's complete Holiday Gift Guide for 2018! — Lindsey Murray, Good Housekeeping, "These Are The Top Trending Holiday Gifts on Google Right Now," 8 Dec. 2018 Below, shop 28 of the best cold-weather gift ideas—each for less than $50—and keep everyone on your list stylishly bundled up this holiday season. — Madeline Fass, Vogue, "Up Your Winter-Accessories Gifting Game for Less Than $50," 5 Dec. 2018 The 2018 holiday season is already chock-full of gift ideas for everyone on your list. — Tess Garcia, Teen Vogue, "Sephora is Selling Beauty Product Holiday Ornaments," 2 Dec. 2018 The recipient organizations are sprinkled across the country from California to North Carolina; 15 of the charities were bestowed with $5 million gifts, and the remainder received $2.5 million donations. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Recode Daily: Black Friday shoppers chose their screens over brick-and-mortar stores," 26 Nov. 2018 Sponsored video Watch our exclusive sponsored video for great gift ideas this Holiday season! — Discover Magazine, "Holiday Gift Guide," 24 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

It's believed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hope to be moved into their new home by the time their first baby arrives in Spring 2019, having been gifted the property by Queen Elizabeth II. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "What Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Kensington Palace Split Means for the Royal Family," 24 Nov. 2018 The crib, which was gifted to the couple by the rapper PreMadonna, is a gigantic, plush oval adorned with white drapery and gilded trim. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "Cardi B Shows Off Her Daughter’s Custom-Made, Gilded Baby Crib," 18 July 2018 The teen was also gifted a lot of new clothes from the reality show's wardrobe team. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "What Do 'The Voice' Winners Get as a Prize?," 19 Dec. 2018 According to The Daily Mail, guests were also gifted a custom silver coin with the couple's custom monogram on the front and Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi on the back. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Everything We Know About Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's Wedding So Far," 10 Nov. 2018 For jewelry, the Duchess added some sparkle to her look with a pair of diamond and pearl earrings gifted from the Queen. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle Wears a Chic Altuzarra Suit to the WellChild Awards with Prince Harry," 4 Sep. 2018 Antonio Callaway is gifted, but his background issues dropped him by at least two rounds. — Terez A. Paylor, kansascity, "Grading the 2018 NFL Draft: Chiefs fare well on Terez Paylor’s report card | The Kansas City Star," 28 Apr. 2018 Since Harry and Meghan were gifted the title of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by the Queen on the morning of their wedding day, that's why their future child's name will be Sussex. — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "What Will Prince Harry and Meghan's Baby's Surname Be? A Complete Surprise, Possibly," 23 Oct. 2018 Prince Harry was given hot sauce and rum in the Caribbean, and Prince Charles was gifted with pasta, olive oil, and saffron in Italy. — Marcia Moody, Town & Country, "From Crocodiles to Hot Sauce, Here's How the Royal Family Does Gift Giving," 14 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gift.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for gift

gift

noun

English Language Learners Definition of gift

(Entry 1 of 2)

: something that is given to another person or to a group or organization

: a special ability

gift

verb

English Language Learners Definition of gift (Entry 2 of 2)

: to present (someone) with a gift

See the full definition for gift in the English Language Learners Dictionary

gift

noun

\ ˈgift

Kids Definition of gift

1 : a special ability : talent a gift for music

2 : something given : present I gave my mother her birthday gift.

GIFT

abbreviation

Medical Definition of GIFT

gamete intrafallopian transfer; gamete intrafallopian tube transfer

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gift

noun

Legal Definition of gift

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.