Do You Give Presents Or Gifts? WATCH: Do You Give Presents Or Gift basket for boyfriend valentines? Where do the words gift and present come from?

Language is not a linear, predestined development. Even though it may feel as if the language we speak is in some way the logical conclusion of thousands of years of development, every word that we use has a unique, sometimes circuitous history. So, let’s dig a little deeper into the histories and meanings of these two words. The word gift appears to come from an Old Norse word, with cousins across the Germanic language. Like gift, the English verb give is found in forms in Old English but also influenced by Old Norse forms, too. Suffice it to say, both gift and give share ancient Germanic roots.

Now, how about using gift as a verb? That’s a new thing, isn’t it? That may be a new pet peeve of some people, but using gift as verb is old, too, going back to at least 1600s. Switching the parts of speech of words, like using a noun as a verb, is one of the great, well, gifts of the English language. The word refers to the common practice of giving away a gift that you received from someone else, like candles, bubble bath, and ugly slippers. This verb is also older than you think, found in the 1800s! Get the fascinating stories of your favorite words in your inbox.

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Emperor Pedro I of Brazil receives a sword as a gift from his wife Amélie that belonged to her father Eugène de Beauharnais. A gift or a present is an item given to someone without the expectation of payment or anything in return. An item is not a gift if that item is already owned by the one to whom it is given. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free.

In many countries, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. In many cultures gifts are traditionally packaged in some way. For example, in Western cultures, gifts are often wrapped in wrapping paper and accompanied by a gift note which may note the occasion, the recipient’s name and the giver’s name. In Chinese culture, red wrapping connotes luck.