gift Meaning & Definition
What Does Gift Mean?
As a noun, gift means Something given to another voluntarily, without charge. It is also used to mean A talent or natural ability. As a verb, it means To give as a gift or donation.
Quick Facts About Gift
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ɡɪft/ |
| Synonyms | present, give and endow |
| Plural | gifts |
| Verb forms | gifts, gifting, gifted |
Gift Definition (Noun)
- Something given to another voluntarily, without charge.
She gave him a cell phone as a birthday gift.
- A talent or natural ability.
She had a gift for playing the flute.
- Something gained incidentally, without effort.
- The act, right, or power of giving or bestowing.
The office is in the gift of the President.
- A footrace, often a short one with a prize, sometimes with a handicap system whereby runners start from different positions based on their past performance.
Gift as a Verb
- To give as a gift or donation.
- To give away, to concede easily.
Synonyms of Gift
Gift in a Sentence
She gave him a cell phone as a birthday gift.
She had a gift for playing the flute.
The office is in the gift of the President.
Word Forms & Grammar
gift (plural gifts)
gift (third-person singular simple present gifts, present participle gifting, simple past and past participle gifted)
Words That Rhyme With Gift
Origin of Gift
From Middle English yifte, ȝift, partly from Old English ġift, ġyft (“giving, consideration, dowry, wedding”) and Old Norse gipt (“gift, present, wedding”); both from Proto-Germanic *giftiz (“gift”). Equivalent to give + -t (etymologically yive + -t).
Gift: Your Questions Answered
Is gift a noun or a verb?
Gift is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for gift?
Words with a similar meaning to gift include present, give and endow. See the full list of gift synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of gift?
The plural of gift is gifts.
What is the past tense of gift?
The past tense of gift is gifted. The present participle is gifting.