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

Most importantly, the intentions behind the gifts stayed real, not fake. — Amanda Needham, chicagotribune.com, "Remember when I painted a huge note for the thief who stole my bike? Here's how the story ends.," 10 July 2018 Truly, lean-and-meanness is Ant-Man and the Wasp’s greatest gift. — Angela Watercutter, WIRED, "Ant-Man and the Wasp and the Importance of Small Stories in Big Universes," 5 July 2018 The university would not comment on how much has been disbursed, or how the remaining portion of the gift will be handled. — Meredith Wadman, Science | AAAS, "Prominent geneticist out at UC Irvine after harassment finding," 29 June 2018 The gifts keep coming, too, between announcements for future taprooms and the May opening of Ballast Point Brewpub in the West Loop. — Adam Lukach, RedEye Chicago, "Ballast Point debuts rooftop patio this weekend in Fulton Market," 28 June 2018 The parting gift is not, however, some last-ditch attempt at goodness. — refinery29.com, "What That Disappointing Luke Cage Ending Means For The Future," 27 June 2018 But Swift accepted a literal olive branch from Perry this spring with little fuss, simply posting a photo of the gift to Instagram. — Raisa Bruner, Time, "The New Women of Pop Are Choosing Sisterhood Over Competition," 21 June 2018 The great gift Bourdain gave to his American audience was to remind them that no place exists outside of time. — Kanishk Tharoor, The Atlantic, "Anthony Bourdain’s Extreme Empathy," 10 June 2018 Libby Magnone of Wauconda has a unique gift that has earned her a moment in the national television spotlight. — Yadira Sanchez Olson, Lake County News-Sun, "Junior logroller from Wauconda showcasing her skills on 'Little Big Shots'," 27 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

You’re being gifted the baton in your life right now. — Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, "Monthly Lovescopes September 2018," 1 Sep. 2018 Having already gifted her grandson and his wife with York Cottage on Sandringham Estate as a wedding gift, Queen Elizabeth has reportedly given the Duke and Duchess of Sussex another house. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Were Just Given a New House by Queen Elizabeth," 22 July 2018 Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Swiss were gifted an equaliser in the 62nd minute, courtesy of a collector's item - a bad error from David de Gea. — SI.com, "Spain 1-1 Switzerland: Swiss Punish De Gea Howler to Earn Creditable Draw Against Dominant Spain," 3 June 2018 If your mom is looking for a bit of peace and quiet on her special day, consider gifting her 50 white roses, which represent reverence and silence, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. — Lyndsey Matthews, Country Living, "Costco Is Selling 50 Roses for Less Than $50 for Mother’s Day," 30 Apr. 2018 And now, China has gifted the world an electric Maybach SUV. — Alex Davies, WIRED, "Mercedes' Electric Maybach SUV Comes With a Built-In Tea Kettle," 24 Apr. 2018 Celebrities like actor Matthew McConaughey and journalist Gayle King (who gifted her best friend, Oprah Winfrey, with a pair) are among its early adopters. — Anh-minh Le, San Francisco Chronicle, "Latest Allbirds shoes do actually grow on trees," 18 Apr. 2018 Backed by nothing more than a few guitar chords, listeners are gifted with a beautiful, focused song that shows off Tash’s sultry, smooth pipes. — Rita Thompson, Billboard, "Tash Sultana Shows A More Vulnerable Side With 'Harvest Love': Exclusive Premiere," 12 July 2018 As each item is printed with the players’ last names, teams gift the threads to players following Summer League. — Jake Fischer, SI.com, "The Economics of a Las Vegas Summer League Invite," 12 July 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.