gift

A2 Topic:Time

US /ˈgɪft/ UK /ɡɪft/ See IPA manual

Freq #1062

Meanings

1

noun
Something you give to someone, usually to be kind or to celebrate.

She gave him a watch as a birthday gift.
2

noun
A natural ability or talent.

He has a real gift for languages.
3

verb
To give something to someone as a present.

My aunt gifted me a beautiful necklace.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a natural ability or talent. talent aptitude endowment

3 verb · to give something to... give present

More benefaction boon concession contribute donatedonativefairing favor grant tithing

Word family

Forms giftinggifts

Derived forms countergiftecogiftengiftfore-giftforegiftgift-givinggift-wrapgift-wrappinggiftbaggiftbookgiftboxgiftcard

Related forms begiftbegivegiftabilitygiftablegifteegifterlagniappeoutgivere-giftregift

Etymology

From Middle English gift (also yift, yifte, ȝift, ȝeft), partly from Old English ġift (“giving, consideration, dowry, wedding”) and Old Norse gipt (“gift, present, wedding”); both from Proto-Germanic *giftiz (“gift”). Equivalent to give + -t (etymologically yive + -t). Cognate with West Frisian jefte (“gift”), Saterland Frisian Gift (“gift”), German Low German Gift (“poison”), Dutch gift (“gift”) and its doublet gif (“poison”), German Gift (“poison”), Danish gift (“gift (obsolete); poison, venom”), Swedish gift (“gift, poison, venom”), Icelandic gift (“gift”). Doublet of yift. Distantly relate…

*gʰebʰ- Proto-Indo-European gift Middle English ġift Old English gipt Old Norse *giftiz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

External links

# gift

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈgɪft/
**IPA (UK):** /ɡɪft/
**Frequency rank:** 1062

## Meanings
1. Something you give to someone, usually to be kind or to celebrate.
2. A natural ability or talent.
3. To give something to someone as a present.

## Examples
- She gave him a watch as a birthday gift.
- He has a real gift for languages.
- My aunt gifted me a beautiful necklace.

## Synonyms
- benefaction
- boon
- concession
- contribute
- donate
- donative
- fairing
- favor
- give
- grant
- present
- tithing

## Derived Forms
- countergift
- ecogift
- engift
- fore-gift
- foregift
- gift-giving
- gift-wrap
- gift-wrapping
- giftbag
- giftbook
- giftbox
- giftcard

## Related Forms
- begift
- begive
- giftability
- giftable
- giftee
- gifter
- lagniappe
- outgive
- re-gift
- regift

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gʰebʰ-
- Root: gift
- Root: ġift
- Root: gipt
- Root: *giftiz

## Etymology
From Middle English gift (also yift, yifte, ȝift, ȝeft), partly from Old English ġift (“giving, consideration, dowry, wedding”) and Old Norse gipt (“gift, present, wedding”); both from Proto-Germanic *giftiz (“gift”). Equivalent to give + -t (etymologically yive + -t). Cognate with West Frisian jefte (“gift”), Saterland Frisian Gift (“gift”), German Low German Gift (“poison”), Dutch gift (“gift”) and its doublet gif (“poison”), German Gift (“poison”), Danish gift (“gift (obsolete); poison, venom”), Swedish gift (“gift, poison, venom”), Icelandic gift (“gift”). Doublet of yift. Distantly relate…

## AI Etymology
Gift comes from Middle English gift (also yift, yifte, ȝift, ȝeft), partly from Old English ġift (“giving, consideration, dowry, wedding”) and Old Norse gipt (“gift, present, wedding”); both from Proto-Germanic *giftiz (“gift”). Equivalent to give + -t (etymologically yive + -t). Cognate with West Frisian jefte (“gift”), Saterland Frisian Gift (“gift”), German Low German Gift (“poison”), Dutch gift (“gift”) and its doublet gif (“poison”), German Gift (“poison”), Danish gift (“gift (obsolete); poison, venom”), Swedish gift (“gift, poison, venom”), Icelandic gift (“gift”). Doublet of yift. In current use, the main senses are “Something you give to someone, usually to be kind or to celebrate” and “A natural ability or talent”.

## Topics
- Time

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gift

Meanings

Thesaurus

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Etymology

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