Meanings
nounIndian giver (plural Indian givers)
plural Indian givers
- informaloffensiveA person who demands the return of or takes back something that was previously given.
He was labeled an "Indian giver"—someone who gives a gift only to ask for it back.
2001, Jon Ippolito, “Whatever Happened to the Gift Economy?”, in Leonardo, volume 34, number 2, page 1591 more example
Mark me, he'll never take those bonds.... He gave them to you and he's not an Indian giver."
1920, Peter B. Kyne, chapter 41, in Kindred of the Dust
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Origin
Translations
Hindi दिया हुआ दान वापस लेने वाला, दिया हुआ दान वापस लेने वाली
- दिया हुआ दान वापस लेने वाला (diyā huā dān vāpas lene vālā)an Indian giver
- दिया हुआ दान वापस लेने वाली (diyā huā dān vāpas lene vālī)an Indian giver
- थूक कर चाटना (thūk kar cāṭnā)an Indian giver
Cite this entry
APA
Indian giver. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Indian%20giver
MLA
“Indian giver.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Indian%20giver. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Indian giver,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Indian%20giver.
Source: Indian giver on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.