donation

noun

do·​na·​tion dō-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce donation (audio)
: 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

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 The reason is structural: Democrats have retained an advantage in small online donations, while Republicans rely on a higher percentage of large contributions. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024 In a year that saw leadership turnover, public protests, and plagiarism allegations, the fundraising machine at Harvard University still saw its second-highest donation haul in its 388-year history. Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2024 That includes reviewing fundraiser pages for clear details, contacting organizers with questions and scanning comments and previous donations for any potential red flags. J.j. McCorvey, NBC News, 17 Oct. 2024 Many more billionaires may still financially back a candidate, but their donations won’t be learned until after the election, when final Federal Election Commission reports are issued in December. Derek Saul, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for donation 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'donation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of donation was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near donation

Cite this Entry

“Donation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/donation. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

donation

noun
do·​na·​tion dō-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce donation (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on donation

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