I. ˈgift noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse, something given, talent; akin to Old English giefan to give
Date: 12th century
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
Synonyms:
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
II. transitive verb
Date: circa 1550
1. : to endow with some power, quality, or attribute
2. : present
generously gift ed us with a copy — Saturday Review
• gift·ee ˌgif-ˈtē noun