gift

noun

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\ 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 The Butchertown shop is accessed through Work the Metal gift shop. — Grace Schneider, The Courier-Journal, "Valentine's Day is not very sweet for this Louisville chocolate business. Here's why," 14 Feb. 2020 There’s even a small information center and gift shop. — Kathleen Mclaughlin, Anchorage Daily News, "A once-powerful Montana mining town warily awaits final cleanup of its toxic past," 12 Feb. 2020 Heidelberg Haus is a gift shop and German restaurant, serving dishes like brats and currywurst, but cookie and pastry cases tempt you first. — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, "The best dessert bars and chocolate shops in and around Indianapolis," 11 Feb. 2020 The group voted to form a merchant’s association and informally chose a leader — Rebecca Schner, who owns gift shop New Lotus Moon — of the new group to lobby on their behalf. — Jeff Forward, Houston Chronicle, "Woodlands business owners in Grogan’s Mill Shopping Center join forces to save their stores from demise," 7 Feb. 2020 Kerri Ellis Davis, who founded stationery and gift shop Ellis Hill, bought the home in 2016. — Mary Grace Metheny, Dallas News, "Peek inside the colorful Old Preston Hollow home of Ellis Hill stationery’s founder," 7 Feb. 2020 In addition to the three floors devoted to the various exhibitions, the space is home to Verōnika—a Stephen Starr restaurant—two bars, an event hall, a café, and, found right upon entry, a gift shop. — Anna Ben Yehuda Rahmanan, Fortune, "What it took for Stockholm’s popular photography museum to make it in New York City," 6 Feb. 2020 In addition to the restaurant, which was co-owned by Mike and Mary Grant, the Bavarian-style structure featured a bank, a German gift shop and three floors of senior housing. — Michael Russell, oregonlive, "Glockenspiel restaurant, Mount Angel’s German flagship, has closed," 4 Feb. 2020 This display in a Michigan State University gift shop reminded Krystal Rose Davis-Dunn of lynching. — Scottie Andrew, CNN, "A university gift shop hung historical black figures from tree-like displays. Black students said it looked like a lynching," 4 Feb. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The free-floating anxiety about his presidency means that all bets are off, and many possible events between now and November could end up gifting the Democrats the White House. — Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, "Joe Biden Is Unfit for the Democratic Nomination," 10 Feb. 2020 The group of sellers includes CEOs who gifted shares to charity or who transferred stock as part of a divorce. — Thomas Gryta, WSJ, "Stocks Surge to Record Highs, but Few CEOs Cash Out," 9 Feb. 2020 Your mind might dart to a traditional bouquet of red roses, but why not try gifting something new and creative for a change? — Alicia Lee, CNN, "Ditch the flowers and gift your Valentine one of these creative bouquets instead," 9 Feb. 2020 The earliest reference to the Game of the Goose dates to between 1574 and 1587, when Duke Francesco de Medici gifted a game called Gioco dell’Oca to Spain’s Philip II. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Best Board Games of the Ancient World," 6 Feb. 2020 Cornerback Bashaud Breeland picked off the pass, gifting the Chiefs' offense a drive that would translate into Kansas City’s first lead of the game. — Jori Epstein, USA TODAY, "Super Bowl: Four key plays that changed the game, helped Chiefs to 31-20 victory against 49ers," 3 Feb. 2020 Soil bacteria may have taken residence in early algae species, gifting the algae with the ability to withstand drier conditions on land. — Annie Sneed, Scientific American, "Bacteria Helped Plants Evolve to Live on Land," 14 Jan. 2020 Empty possessions and second chances IU gifted Maryland made a climb out of a first-half hole all the more impossible. — Jon Blau, Indianapolis Star, "IU loss to Maryland was ugly, but Hoosiers' offense was uglier," 4 Jan. 2020 Kylie and her mother Kris Jenner ended up gifting Stormi a massive playhouse that Twitter is insisting is more along the lines of a baby mansion. — Bianca Betancourt, Harper's BAZAAR, "Stormi Webster Thought Kylie Jenner Bought Her a Birkin Bag For Christmas," 23 Dec. 2019

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.

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