attributive

[ uh-trib-yuh-tiv ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or having the character of attribution or an attribute.
2. Grammar. of or relating to an adjective or noun that is directly adjacent to, in English usually preceding, the noun it modifies, without any intervening linking verb, as the adjective sunny in a sunny day or the noun television in a television screen.

noun

1. Grammar. an attributive word, especially an adjective.

attributive

/ əˈtrɪbjʊtɪv /

adjective

1. relating to an attribute
2. grammar (of an adjective or adjectival phrase) modifying a noun and constituting part of the same noun phrase, in English normally preceding the noun, as black in Fido is a black dog (as opposed to Fido is black ) Compare predicative
3. philosophy relative to an understood domain, as small in that elephant is small

noun

1. an attributive adjective

Derived Forms

• atˈtributiveness, noun
• atˈtributively, adverb

Other Words From

• at·tribu·tive·ly adverb
• at·tribu·tive·ness noun
• nonat·tribu·tive adjective
• nonat·tribu·tive·ly adverb
• nonat·tribu·tive·ness noun
• unat·tribu·tive adjective
• unat·tribu·tive·ly adverb
• unat·tribu·tive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of attributive¹

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

I make my bread deciding whether a word is an attributive noun or adjective, parsing adverbial uses over conjunctive uses, writing those delightfully boring usage notes in your dictionary.

From The Guardian

Apart from the attributive tag, the sonnet's sestet, all in the imperative case, is spoken by Liberty herself.

From The Guardian

Quality, etc., denoted by an attributive; an attributive adjunct or adjective.

From Project Gutenberg

In fact, the distinction between noun and adjective is inapplicable to English grammar, and should be replaced by a distinction between objective and attributive words.

From Project Gutenberg

"The will dotes that is attributive To what infectiously itself affects."

From Project Gutenberg