Do You Give Presents Or Gifts? WATCH: Do You Give Presents Gift box valentine’s day Gifts?

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!