giftedness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English gifted Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English giftedness From gifted + -ness.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) The property of being gifted.
Yet, a century later, what constitutes giftedness is still being debated. Some educators deny its existence entirely or say, with a roll of the eyes, that it is no more than a fantasy of pushy parents. Some take the view that all children have a particular gift of their own. Others conflate giftedness with talent when the two are often discrete: a gifted child may have been born with great potential but not have explored or displayed it. (Canadian psychologist Francoys Gagne is often cited for his theory that distinguishes giftedness from talent, offering explanations on how natural abilities can be developed into specific skills.)
2023 November 3, Angus Holland, “‘I don’t think of it at all as a gift’: Why it’s complicated being a gifted child”, in The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, archived from the original on 08 Sep 2025:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| giftednesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Translations (12)
fr surdouance (Translations) · sv begåvning (Translations) · de Begabung (Translations) · pl uzdolnienie (Translations) · pt superdotação (Translations) · es superdotación (Translations) · it plusdotazione (Translations) · sv högbegåvning (Translations) · fi lahjakkuus (Translations) · fr douance (Translations) · de Hochbegabung (Translations) · ca superdotació (Translations)