One syllable: gift.
gift
/ɡɪft/
gift is pronounced gift (/ɡɪft/). It has one syllable (gift), with the stress on "gift". A short word meaning a thing given voluntarily to someone without payment, often to celebrate a special occasion or express goodwill. It can also refer to a natural talent or ability one possesses. In everyday use, it denotes generosity or a present, and in some contexts, a verb meaning to bestow something. The form is monosyllabic and typically pronounced with a clear initial consonant and final stop.
A short word meaning a thing given voluntarily to someone without payment, often to celebrate a special occasion or express goodwill. It can also refer to a natural talent or ability one possesses. In everyday use, it denotes generosity or a present, and in some contexts, a verb meaning to bestow something. The form is monosyllabic and typically pronounced with a clear initial consonant and final stop.
"I bought a small gift for my colleague’s birthday."
"She cherished the gift of time and used it to help others."
"The charity thanked donors for their generous gifts."
Speech begins with a hard /g/ as in goat, followed by a short /ɪ/ vowel (like 'bit'), then a voiceless /f/ fricative, and a terminal /t/. Stress is on the single syllable. In careful speech you’ll clearly release the /t/; in quick speech, the /t/ may be lightly released or even unreleased. IPA: US/UK/AU /ɡɪft/ with a clear closure between /f/ and /t/.
Common errors: (1) substituting a dental or alveolar fricative for /f/ (e.g., /ɡɪv/ or /ɡɪv t/); (2) confusing the /ɪ/ with /iː/ making /ɡiːft/; (3) releasing the final /t/ too shortly or as a stop without a release, causing a clipped sound. Correction: clearly articulate the /f/ as a voiceless labiodental fricative with lip-to-teeth contact, then release the /t/; keep the /ɪ/ short but lax, not tense, and finish with a crisp but not overly forceful stop. Practice with minimal pairs like fit/ft and gift/shift to sharpen contrast.
US: clear final /t/ release with strong /ɡ/ onset. UK: some speakers devoice or lightly release final /t/; rhoticity is less influential here since /ɡ/ is preserved. AU: tends toward a slightly broader vowel in /ɪ/ and a crisp /f/ followed by a soft final /t/, with occasional glottalization of /t/ in rapid speech. Overall, the core /ɡɪft/ sequence stays intact, but final-t realization varies by region.
The challenge lies in the tight consonant cluster /ɡɪft/, especially coordinating /f/ and /t/. For some speakers the /f/ may become labiodental instead of precise, or the /t/ may be unreleased, creating a muffled ending. Additionally, the short, tense /ɪ/ vowel can be mispronounced as /iː/ or merged with surrounding sounds. Focus on the precise place of articulation for /f/ and the crisp release of /t/ while keeping the vowel short and lax.
A distinctive aspect is the transition from the vowel /ɪ/ to the final /f/ and /t/ cluster. Because /ɪ/ is lax and central in many speakers, it can drift toward a schwa-like quality in rapid speech, altering the perceived sharpness of the word. Maintaining a crisp, short /ɪ/ helps preserve a clean /ft/ release. Also, in careful speech, ensure /ɡ/ is a hard, voiced velar plosive before /ɪ/.
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The word gift comes from Old Norse gefa, meaning to give, and from Proto-Germanic *gebaną, to grant. In Old English, it appeared as gife or gife, denoting the act of giving and the thing given. The core sense transitioned through Middle English into modern usage around the 14th century, retaining both the noun for a present and the abstract sense of a talent or endowment (as in ‘a gift for music’). The semantic range expanded in early modern English to include the abstract ability and a more ceremonial sense of a contribution or token. The word converged with similar Germanic roots in Dutch (geschenk) and German (Geschenk) and follows the common Germanic pattern of a root tied to giving. First known uses are attested in legal and ceremonial documents of medieval England, reflecting both material gifts and the broader notion of endowment. As language evolved, the word settled into contemporary usage where its primary senses are present (gift as present) and talent (a gift for languages). The evolution also shows a shift in pronunciation and spelling consistency across dialects, with the monosyllabic pronunciation stabilizing in modern standard English. The word’s ubiquity in many Western languages underlines its cultural importance in social exchange and personal attribution of talent.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "gift" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "gift" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "gift"
-ift sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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