Gift: a word shaped by giving

‘They opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.’

Matthew 2 : 11

At the heart of the Magi’s story lies a small but ancient word. ‘Gift’ in English comes from deep Germanic roots linked with giving, receiving, and the bonds created through exchange. Alongside this, English also draws on the Latin family that gives us ‘donum’, ‘donor’, and ‘donation’.

In Matthew’s account the Greek word is ‘dōron’, an offering given in honour. Tracing these strands shows how human generosity and sacred offering have been expressed across languages for centuries. The image above, taken [location note], reflects this moment of giving and the long history carried in the word itself.

Each word card set begins with an image that captures the theme of the word. The following cards trace its story: a main word card (or two, if extended), a junior version with a paler border, an etymological breakdown showing how the word travelled through time, and a list of sources. Some sets also include cards for related words or translations across other languages. Together they show where each word came from, how it changed, and what it still carries with it.