A
person who
gives something to another and then
takes it back or expects an
equivalent gift in return. Although I am
not sure, I
assume that this term came about as some sort of
stereotype of
Native Americans.
I think probably the best
thought on this subject I saw in a
sig of someone over on
slashdot:
I finally understood that "Indian giver" referred to our treatment of natives, not their treatment of us.