Gift
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
From Middle High German gift f (“gift, present”), Old High German gift f (“gift”), from Proto-West Germanic *gifti, from Proto-Germanic *giftiz, which is a derivation of *gebaną (“to give”). Cognate with English gift.[1]
The word has been used as a euphemism for "poison" since Old High German, a semantic loan from Late Latin dosis (“dose”), from Ancient Greek δόσις (dósis, “gift; dose of medicine”). The original meaning "gift" has disappeared in contemporary Standard German, but remains in some compounds (see Mitgift). Compare also Dutch gift (“gift”) alongside gif (“poison”).
Gift n (strong, genitive Giftes or Gifts, plural Gifte)
1Now rare, see notes.
Gift f (genitive Gift, plural Giften)
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