The Saying 'Indian Giver' - Meaning And Origin. - The Phrase Finder

Indian giver

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Indian giver'?

One who gives a gift but later takes it back.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Indian giver'?

Indian giver derives from the alleged practise of American Indians of taking back gifts from white settlers. It is more likely that the settlers wrongly interpreted the Indians’ loans to them as gifts. This term, which is certainly American, may have been coined to denigrate of the native race. Historians would now agree that, where deceit was concerned, it was the settlers who were the front runners. It isn’t uncommon, and it could be argued that it is customary, for the conquering race to attempt to justify their invasion by dismissing the conquered as dishonest and stupid.

The phrase is quite early in the history of the the USA. Thomas Hutchinson described the term as proverbial as early as 1765, in his The history of the Province of Massachusetts Bay:

“An Indian gift is a proverbial expression, signifying a present for which an equivalent return is expected.”

Prior to that in England the word Indian was used disparagingly to denote those English people who had spent time in India and, as such, were considered infra-dig. Eliza Haywood’s, The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless, 1751, describes such a person as “this young Indian”.

The history of “Indian giver” in printed materials

Trend of indian giver in printed material over time

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Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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