Many a time you would have heard people get confused between the words -Gift and Present. While they both may fall in the same category, there is a slight difference between the two.
To an ordinary person, they might not be any different. But in reality, there are certain differences between a gift and a present.
Here's how they differ:
The Basic Difference
The primary difference between the two lies in the fact that they come to us from different language families. 'Gift' comes from the Germanic root which means ‘to give’. It refers to an act of giving or being given. 'Present,' on the other hand, comes from a French word, which means 'to present.’ It refers to something that is presented or bestowed.
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What’s the Fuss?
Understandably, only by looking at the origin of the two words, it is hard to notice any dissimilarity between the two. It is because; the words 'gifts' and 'presents' are two well-matched synonyms. However, just like many other things, synonyms often have a difference in their usage, and most of it depends on the context.
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What Is A 'Gift' Then?
A gift has a wider application. It can mean many things. For instance, you have most likely heard someone say that that individual has a gift of singing or running. Thus, gifts can be talents. You can be a talented athlete or a musician and that way you have a ‘gift.’
Gifts can often function as an attributive noun too. Like, a place where you get a lot of toys or other options of presents is called a gift shop. Having said that, it now makes us wonder what a 'present' is.
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Where Does 'Present' Fit In?
Unlike the word gift, 'present' doesn’t have varied applications. It's true to what it sounds like implying that it is more concrete. In general, what two people share regarding goods and possession falls under the category of a present. To understand what a present is, consider this line: “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.” This line suggests that a present is something that we have in our hands, something which is more materialistic, if you may say.
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Final Word
Going by the general usage, a gift seems to have varied applications and is in many ways more intangible than a present. Gifts can mean presents along with talents and even charity. While presents, they just mean what they are. Nevertheless, whatever be the meaning, we wish that you get a lot of gifts and presents this year.
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