An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gift

by Friedrich Kluge

Gift in Mitgift, Brautgift, feminine, from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German gift, feminine, ‘gift, present’; a verbal noun from geben (Gothic gifts, English gift). — Gift, neuter, meaning ‘poison,’ is the same word (for the evolution of meaning compare French poison, from Latin potio, potionem, ‘drink’); even in Middle High German and Old High German gift, feminine (always neuter in this sense in Modern High German), Dutch gift; in Gothic lubja, ‘poison’ (Old High German luppi, Middle High German lüppe, ‘poison’). The common Aryan term for ‘poison’ (Sanscrit viša-, Latin virus, Greek ίος) has not been preserved in Teutonic. See verwesen.