Gift

Meaning

poison; toxin; venom

Concepts

poison

venom

toxin

gift

toxicant

harm

injury

mischief

virus

poisons

injurious chemicals

toxic substances

cure

fertilizer

medicine

remedy

present

anger

wrath

poisonous

toxic

whopper

illness

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɡɪft/

Etymology

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.
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”).