Giving

How to spell giving

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce giving

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does giving mean?

1. verbThe present participle of give: in the act of handing over, granting, or providing something.
2. adjectiveGenerous; inclined to share time, money, or kindness with others.

Giving in a sentence

• verb

  The manager is giving each employee a small bonus this month.

• adjective

  She has a warm, giving nature and always helps her neighbours.

• verb

  By giving clear instructions, she avoided any confusion on the team.

• adjective

  The charity relies on the giving spirit of the local community.

Where does giving come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

The base verb comes from the Old English giefan, meaning 'to grant, hand over, or bestow', a thoroughly native Germanic word with cousins in Old Norse gefa and Dutch geven. The hard 'g' sound and the spelling with 'v' were shaped over centuries; the Old Norse influence during the Viking settlements helped stabilise the modern 'give' form rather than the older softer pronunciations. The '-ing' ending is the standard English suffix that turns a verb into its present participle or into a gerund (a verbal noun), and it has been productive since Old English. A useful spelling note: although 'give' ends in a silent 'e', that 'e' is dropped before '-ing', so the word is 'giving' with a single 'v', not 'giveing'. The verb has carried its core meaning, transferring something to someone, unchanged for well over a thousand years.

How the word is built

• giv- (from Old English giefan: to grant, bestow)
• -ing (present participle / gerund suffix)