Gift vs. Present
Main DifferenceThe main difference between the gift and the present is that the gift refers to natural ability or talent given in an informal way and present refers to the act of giving or an award which is given formally or ceremonially.
Difference Between Gift and Present
Gift vs. Present
The gift is a natural ability or talent whereas present does not refer to natural talent.
Gift vs. Present
The gift is the act of giving a gift on the other hand present is the act of giving something formally or ceremonially.
Gift vs. Present
Gift can be concrete or abstract, i.e., a birthday gift or gift of voice by God conversely present is typically concrete, i.e. a birthday present or a Christmas present.
Gift vs. Present
The gift is a thing given willingly to someone without payment on the flip side. The verb present is to introduce someone to anyone else formally or to give a gift in a formal situation.
Gift vs. Present
Gifts may also apply to a wide range of situations in referring to abilities and talents while present may also refer to a moment in time and the act of being present.
Giftnoun
Something given to another voluntarily, without charge.
Presentadjective
Relating to now, for the time being; current.
The barbaric practice continues to the present day.The present manager has been here longer than the last one.Giftnoun
A talent or natural ability.
She had a gift for playing the flute.Presentadjective
Located in the immediate vicinity.
Is there a doctor present?Several people were present when the event took place.Giftnoun
Something gained incidentally, without effort.
Presentadjective
(obsolete) Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.
Giftnoun
The act, right, or power of giving or bestowing.
The office is in the gift of the President.Presentadjective
(obsolete) Not delayed; immediate; instant.
Giftverb
(transitive) To give as a gift or donation.
Presentadjective
(dated) Ready; quick in emergency.
a present witGiftverb
(transitive) To give away, to concede easily.
Presentadjective
(obsolete) Favorably attentive; propitious.
Giftnoun
something acquired without compensation
Presentadjective
Relating to something a person is referring to in the very context, with a deictic use similar to the demonstrative adjective this.
in the present study, the present article, the present results.Giftnoun
natural qualities or talents
Presentadjective
Attentive; alert; focused.
Sorry, I was distracted just now, I'll try to be more present from now on.Giftnoun
the act of giving
Presentnoun
The current moment or period of time.
Giftverb
give qualities or abilities to
Presentnoun
The present tense.
Giftverb
give as a present; make a gift of;
What will you give her for her birthday?Presentnoun
A gift, especially one given for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, or any other special occasions.
Presentnoun
(military) The position of a soldier in presenting arms.
to stand at presentPresentverb
To bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally.
to present an envoy to the kingPresentverb
(transitive) To nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution.
Presentverb
(transitive) To offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration.
Presentverb
To charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court.
Presentverb
(reflexive) To come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally.
Presentverb
(transitive) To put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit.
Presentverb
(transitive) To make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration.
Presentverb
(transitive) To put on, stage (a play etc.).
The theater is proud to present the Fearless Fliers.Presentverb
To point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire.
Presentverb
(reflexive) To offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind.
Well, one idea does present itself.Presentverb
To come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom.
The patient presented with insomnia.Presentverb
To appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth.
Presentverb
To appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender).
At that time, Elbe was presenting as a man.I was presenting as a boy / a girl / a man / a woman / (a) male / (a) female / masculine / femininefemale-presenting nipplesPresentverb
(transitive) To act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.).
Presentverb
(transitive) To give a gift or presentation to (someone).
She was presented with an honorary degree for her services to entertainment.Presentverb
(transitive) To give (a gift or presentation) to someone; to bestow.
Presentverb
(transitive) To deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer.
I presented my compliments to Lady Featherstoneshaw.Presentverb
(transitive) To hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid.
Presentverb
To display one's female genitalia in a way that signals to others that one is ready for copulation. Also referred to as lordosis behaviour.
Presentnoun
the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech;
that is enough for the presenthe lives in the present with no thought of tomorrowPresentnoun
something presented as a gift;
his tie was a present from his wifePresentnoun
a verb tense that expresses actions or states at the time of speaking
Presentverb
show or demonstrate something to an interested audience;
She shows her dogs frequentlyWe will demo the new software in WashingtonPresentverb
bring forward and present to the mind;
We presented the arguments to himWe cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reasonPresentverb
perform (a play), especially on a stage;
we are going to stage `Othello'Presentverb
hand over formally
Presentverb
introduce;
This poses an interesting questionPresentverb
give, especially as a reward;
bestow honors and prizes at graduationPresentverb
give as a present; make a gift of;
What will you give her for her birthday?Presentverb
deliver (a speech, oration, or idea);
The commencement speaker presented a forceful speech that impressed the studentsPresentverb
cause to come to know personally;
permit me to acquaint you with my sonintroduce the new neighbors to the communityPresentverb
represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, or verbally;
The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this paintingPresentverb
present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize;
We confronted him with the evidenceHe was faced with all the evidence and could no longer deny his actionsAn enormous dilemma faces usPresentverb
formally present a debutante, a representative of a country, etc.
Presentverb
recognize with a gesture prescribed by a miltary regulation; assume a prescribed position;
When the officers show up, the soldiers have to salutePresentadjective
temporal sense; intermediate between past and future; now existing or happening or in consideration;
the present leaderarticles for present usethe present topicthe present systempresent observationstime pasthis youth is pastthis past Thursdaythe past yearPresentadjective
spatial sense; being or existing in a specified place;
the murderer is present in this roompresent at the weddingpresent at the creationComparison Chart
| Gift | Present |
| A natural ability or talent gave in an informal way | The act of giving or an award which is given formally or ceremonially |
| Etymology | |
| Middle English: from Old Norse gift | Middle English: from Old French |
| Usage | |
| Formal | Informal |
| Way of Giving | |
| Informal | Formal |
| Passes From | |
| High to low | Low to high |
Gift vs. Present
Gift refers to something that is given voluntarily and willingly to another person. It is a thing given voluntarily to someone without payment and compensation. Present refers to bringing something to a person, i.e., presenting them with any reward or another thing. A gift is likely to be much more valuable and usually passes from the high to the low, from the rich to the poor. A present, however, passes between equals or from the inferior to the superior. Gift generally has a formal implication than the present. Also, it refers to natural ability, or a miracle like the gift of gab, a gifted artist, and even the gift of life. The term present has an informal implication. It often refers to the humble, simpler or material gifts. Gifts are typically associated with “give gifts” because gifts have become more widely known as something given freely with no restrictions. Presents are usually associated with “receive presents” because they are linked to presentations. Gifts may apply to a wide range of situation, and the word is also used in abstract terms to refer to abilities and talents. Present may refer to a moment in time and the act of being present. The word gift is used with the inherent talent or skill that one has. As God is believed to have given/gifted us these things. Gift applies to a wider range of situations, talents or intangible things. Presents are more concrete and presentable, e.g., medals, birthday presents, trophies, etc.
What is Gift?
The gift comes from the old Germanic root which means “to give.” The present comes from the French for “to present.” A gift is something given willingly and voluntarily to someone without payment. The gift is synonymous with present and reward. Gift can be an attributive noun, acting as an adjective to modify another noun. The gift also refers to natural ability or talent. Gifts also refer to the presents you give to your friends and family as well as donations and rewards you give to charity. It is something that is bestowed willingly without compensation.
Examples
- He gave her a diamond ring as an anniversary gift.
- the gift of healing people
- Picasso had the gift of painting
What is Present?
A present refers to only practical and tangible things that are bestowed formally. It is something that you want the recipient to have. The term ‘present’ is originated from an old French phrase which translates to English as ‘put a thing into the presence of a person.’ So every definition associated with the word present can be traced back to this original definition of bringing something to a person. The present is more casual sounding than a gift. Presents have greater potential for inspiring new thoughts and broadening the horizons. The present does not describe other nouns. We have gift cards, gift boxes, and gift wrap, not present cards, present boxes, and present wrap. However, the noun present does not refer to a natural talent or ability. The verb present means to give or award ceremonially or formally.
Examples
- The minister will present the prizes.
- He has presented a trophy for his first position.
ConclusionGift and present have the same context as some differences. The present is occasionally used in a practical and concrete context whereas gift is rather used in an abstract or formal context.
