gift

noun \ ˈgift \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of gift

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

See gift defined for English-language learners

See gift defined for kids

Examples of gift in a Sentence

The money was a gift, not a loan.
She considers her voice a God-given gift.

Recent Examples of gift from the Web

One young man in Anneslie recently stopped in to choose a bike as a 13th birthday gift from his parents.

— courtney mcgee, baltimoresun.com, "Bike shop in Anneslie fulfills owner's longtime dream," 11 Apr. 2018
An additional 4,000 slices that Cairns and her team baked were also sent out by the Prince of Wales in tins as gifts.

— lyndsey matthews, Town & Country, "Kate Middleton's Baker Reveals What It's Really Like to Make a Royal Wedding Cake," 9 Apr. 2018
What was not mentioned in Cornell’s letter disavowing Mr. Meier’s gift was any decision on whether to return his past donations to the school, including a scholarship for graduate architecture students.

— sopan deb, New York Times, "When #MeToo Infamy Taints Your Famous Benefactor," 2 Apr. 2018
In 1912, first lady Helen Herron Taft and the wife of Japan’s ambassador to the United States, Viscountess Chinda, planted the first two of 3,000 cherry trees given to the United States as a gift by the mayor of Tokyo.

— BostonGlobe.com, "This day in history," 27 Mar. 2018
The gift was in many ways generous and extravagant, while doing little to tackle underlying structural issues.

— jacob silverman, Longreads, "The Billionaire Philanthropist," 13 Mar. 2018
Another gift from Australia to the series is supporting actress Rachael Taylor, returning to her role as Jones' childhood friend, Trish Walker.

— the washington post, Houston Chronicle, "'Jessica Jones' doesn't wow in Season 2, but it's not as off the mark as 'Iron Fist'," 8 Mar. 2018
Linfield's outgoing president, Thomas Hellie, said the gift is the largest single donation to wine education in Oregon history.

— andrew theen, OregonLive.com, "Linfield gets $6 million gift from Domaine Serene founders for wine studies program," 8 Mar. 2018
God's greatest gift on Easter is not that Jesus died on the cross.

— terry pluto, cleveland.com, "Faith & You: Dealing with guilt, shame and regret -- Terry Pluto," 30 Mar. 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.

Origin and Etymology of gift

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

See Words from the same year

gift Synonyms

Synonyms

aptitude, bent, endowment, faculty, flair, genius, head, knack, talent;

Near Antonyms

disability, handicap, inability, incapacity;

shortcoming, weakness;

ear, eye, mind, nose;

feel, hang, instinct, touch, way;

capability, competence, facility, proficiency, skill;

capacity, potential, power;

forte, specialty;

Synonym Discussion of 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

gift

verb

Definition of gift

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

play \ˌgif-ˈtē\ noun

See gift defined for English-language learners

Examples of gift in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of gift from the Web

The work made sense to me: For its various anxieties and heartbreak, my unconventional childhood gifted me an eagerness to explore.

— tyler wetherall, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Childhood on the Run Made Me the Traveler I Am Today," 2 Apr. 2018
First things first, Kylie gifted us with the ultimate Easter miracle by sharing sweet images of her boyfriend Travis Scott and baby girl Stormi — the little girl’s first Easter.

— lisa ryan, The Cut, "All About the Elaborate Kardashian-Jenner Easter Celebration," 2 Apr. 2018
At the time, ABC gifted the cast a giant chocolate that was shaped in the number one.

— karen mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, "Roseanne Barr Says George Clooney 'Didn't Want to Come on' Roseanne Revival: 'That Was a Bummer'," 27 Mar. 2018
In one day Whittemore gifted more than $133,000, which was to make its way back to Reid’s campaign.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Pomerado News, "FBI special agent: White collar criminals are often charming," 23 Mar. 2018
For all his faults, Pinch is gifted with wisdom, as is the author of this sad, funny and moving novel.

— The Economist, "The damage overbearing fathers do to sons," 22 Mar. 2018
The brothers gifted most of the etchings in the exhibition to the Birmingham Museum of Art.

— erin edgemon, AL.com, "'Magic City Realism:' Etchings depict Birmingham in the Great Depression," 21 Mar. 2018
Stew Leonard's has generously gifted the Department $4,500 to be used to help subsidize the expense of swim lessons for children.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Wethersfield Edition," 20 Mar. 2018
Just in time for the return of American Idol this weekend, Fisher has gifted his wife's fans with what seems to be an heirloom from her own Idol days: a snapshot of the country singer rocking some wild '80s hair.

— ashley iasimone, Billboard, "Carrie Underwood's Husband Wishes Her Happy Birthday With Wild Throwback Photo," 10 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of gift

see ¹gift

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1550

See Words from the same year

gift Synonyms

GIFT

abbreviation

Definition of GIFT

gamete intrafallopian transfer; gamete intrafallopian tube transfer

GIFT Defined for English Language Learners

gift

noun

Definition of gift for English Language Learners

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

gift

verb

Definition of gift for English Language Learners

: to present (someone) with a gift

GIFT Defined for Kids

gift

noun \ ˈgift \

Definition of gift for Students

1 : a special ability : talent

a gift for music

2 : something given : present

I gave my mother her birthday gift.

Medical Dictionary

GIFT

abbreviation

medical Definition of GIFT

gamete intrafallopian transfer; gamete intrafallopian tube transfer

Law Dictionary

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.