attribute

[ verb uh-trib-yoot; noun a-truh-byoot ]

verb (used with object)

, at·trib·ut·ed, at·trib·ut·ing.

1. to regard as resulting from a specified cause; consider as caused by something indicated (usually followed by to ):

   She attributed his bad temper to ill health.

2. to consider as a quality or characteristic of the person, thing, group, etc., indicated:

   He attributed intelligence to his colleagues.

3. to consider as made by the one indicated, especially with strong evidence but in the absence of conclusive proof:

   to attribute a painting to an artist.

4. to regard as produced by or originating in the time, period, place, etc., indicated; credit; assign:

   to attribute a work to a particular period; to attribute a discovery to a particular country.

noun

1. something attributed as belonging to a person, thing, group, etc.; a quality, character, characteristic, or property:

   Sensitivity is one of his attributes.

2. something used as a symbol of a particular person, office, or status:

   A scepter is one of the attributes of a king.

3. Grammar. a word or phrase that is syntactically subordinate to another and serves to limit, identify, particularize, describe, or supplement the meaning of the form with which it is in construction. In the red house, red is an attribute of house.
4. Fine Arts. an object associated with or symbolic of a character, office, or quality, as the keys of St. Peter or the lion skin of Hercules.
5. Philosophy. (in the philosophy of Spinoza) any of the essential qualifications of God, thought and extension being the only ones known. Compare mode ¹( def 4b ).
6. Logic. (in a proposition) that which is affirmed or denied concerning the subject.
7. Obsolete. distinguished character; reputation.

attribute

/ ˌætrɪˈbjuːʃən /

verb

1. trusually foll byto to regard as belonging (to), produced (by), or resulting (from); ascribe (to)

   to attribute a painting to Picasso

noun

1. a property, quality, or feature belonging to or representative of a person or thing
2. an object accepted as belonging to a particular office or position
3. grammar
   1. an adjective or adjectival phrase
   2. an attributive adjective
4. logic the property, quality, or feature that is affirmed or denied concerning the subject of a proposition

Derived Forms

• atˈtributable, adjective
• atˈtributer, noun
• attribution, noun

Other Words From

• at·trib·ut·a·ble adjective
• at·trib·ut·er at·trib·u·tor noun
• mis·at·trib·ute verb misattributed misattributing
• re·at·trib·ute verb (used with object) reattributed reattributing
• un·at·trib·ut·a·bly adverb
• un·at·trib·ut·ed adjective
• well-at·trib·ut·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of attribute¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin attribūtus “allotted, assigned, imputed to” (past participle of attribuere ), equivalent to at- “toward” + tribū- (stem of tribuere “to assign (to tribes), classify, ascribe”; at-, tribe ) + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of attribute¹

C15: from Latin attribuere to associate with, from tribuere to give

Synonym Study

Attribute, ascribe, impute imply definite origin. Attribute and ascribe are often used interchangeably, to imply that something originates with a definite person or from a definite cause. Ascribe, however, has neutral implications; whereas, possibly because of an association with tribute, attribute is coming to have a complimentary connotation: to ascribe an accident to carelessness; to attribute one's success to a friend's encouragement. Impute has gained uncomplimentary connotations, and usually means to accuse or blame someone or something as a cause or origin: to impute an error to him. See quality.

Example Sentences

We attribute his successes or failures to the presence or lack of some special sauce that he does or does not possess.

From The Daily Beast

Sure, Nancy has the fish-out-of-water thing going on, but that attribute often defines Piper.

From The Daily Beast

On the other hand, he has retained an attribute reminiscent of the other ex-fundies.

From The Daily Beast

We attribute no special merit to a man for having served when all were serving.

From The Daily Beast

Military officials attribute the rise, to programs that have encouraged more victims to come forward and report their assaults.

From The Daily Beast

The Marshals were inclined to attribute their disgrace to the ill-will of Berthier and not to the temper of Napoleon.

From Project Gutenberg

This I attribute to the potash being in a little more caustic condition than when recrystallised with iodine.

From Project Gutenberg

They attribute this in part to the excellence of their soil and partly to the abundance of birds and yellow jackets.

From Project Gutenberg

At first geologists were disposed to attribute all the phenomena of mountain-folding to the progressive cooling of the earth.

From Project Gutenberg

To attribute to Douglas lack of 'strength of purpose' is to miss the whole significance of his career.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aspect
• characteristic
• facet
• idiosyncrasy
• peculiarity
• quality
• quirk
• trait
• virtue