giveaway
UK[ˈɡɪvəweɪ]US[ˈɡɪvəˌweɪ]
n
something that is given free to a customer, especially to encourage people to buy a product
n
something that reveals a secret or makes something known, often unintentionally
Morpheme Breakdown
give
away
give
to bestow, grant, commit
away
from this or that place
Etymology
the word 'giveaway' is a transparent compound formed from the native english verbs 'give' and 'away'. the old english root 'giefan' is of germanic origin, related to the act of handing something over without payment. combined with 'away', which denotes direction or separation, the compound literally means 'to give something so that it goes away from the giver'. by the late 19th century, this literal sense evolved into the modern commercial meaning of a free gift offered as an incentive. shortly after, it developed its figurative sense of an inadvertent revelation, where information is 'given away' unintentionally, completing its journey from a concrete action to an abstract concept.
Analysis
Structure: give + away
give (from old english 'giefan', meaning 'to bestow, grant, commit') + away (from old english 'aweg', an adverbial form meaning 'from this or that place')
Examples
the company is offering a free pen as a giveaway with every purchase.
his nervous smile was a dead giveaway that he was lying.
the book includes a recipe giveaway at the end.