gift

¹ American  

[gift] / gɪft /

noun

1. something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.

   Synonyms:

   dowry, inheritance, legacy, bequest, subsidy, allowance, premium, tip, gratuity, alms, largesse, boon, bounty, endowment, benefaction, offering, contribution, donation

2. the act of giving.

3. something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned.

   Those extra points he got in the game were a total gift.

4. a special ability or capacity; natural endowment; talent.

   the gift of saying the right thing at the right time.

   Synonyms:

   knack, turn, genius, forte, bent, capability, aptitude, faculty

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verb (used with object)

1. to present with as a gift; bestow gifts upon; endow with.

2. to present (someone) with a gift.

   just the thing to gift the newlyweds.

GIFT ² American  

[gift] / gɪft /

noun

1. gamete intrafallopian transfer: a laparoscopic process in which eggs are retrieved from an ovary by aspiration and inserted, along with sperm, into the fallopian tube of another woman.

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gift ¹ British  

/ ɡɪft /

noun

1. something given; a present

2. a special aptitude, ability, or power; talent

3. the power or right to give or bestow (esp in the phrases in the gift of, in ( someone's ) gift )

4. the act or process of giving

5. (usually negative) to find fault with a free gift or chance benefit

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verb

1. to present (something) as a gift to (a person)

2. (often foll by with) to present (someone) with a gift

3. rare to endow with; bestow

GIFT ² British  

/ ɡɪft /

acronym

1. gamete intrafallopian transfer: a technique, similar to in vitro fertilization, that enables some women who are unable to conceive to bear children. Egg cells are removed from the woman's ovary, mixed with sperm, and introduced into one of her Fallopian tubes

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gift Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing gift

• look a gift horse in the mouth

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Related Words

See present ².

Other Word Forms

• giftless adjective

Etymology

Origin of gift

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Old Norse gift; cognate with Old English gift ( Middle English yift ) “marriage gift”; akin to give

Explanation

A gift is an item that's given without any expectation of payment — it's a present. A gift may be the present you receive on your birthday or it may be a natural gift or talent you possess — like your gift for reading lips. People give gifts to mark special occasions, like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries. and some holidays. Sometimes tourists buy gifts while on vacation and bring them home to their friends and family. Another kind of gift is a special ability: "She has such a gift for learning languages." The root of gift is probably the Old Norse gipt or gift, which means both "gift" and "good luck."

Example Sentences

Rewards will vary, and could include customers being offered free or cheaper electricity at certain times, or points that could be converted into gift cards.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

It will hopefully help rid you of these feelings of impatience and irritation over not having your generous gift acknowledged.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

The Ducks held their annual fan appreciation day Sunday, handing out thousands of gifts, from a new car to team jerseys and gift cards.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

They made a beeline to the gift shop for the one prize more coveted than a green jacket: a garden gnome.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“Yes,” said Handsome, deeply moved, not just by his striking image in the mirror, but by the thoughtful gesture of Duane’s gift.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• allowance
• award
• benefit
• bonus
• contribution
• donation
• endowment
• favor
• giveaway
• grant
• legacy
• offering
• premium
• present
• relief
• reward
• souvenir
• subsidy
• tip
• tribute