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View synonyms for

attribute

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

verb (used with object)

attributed, attributing.
  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

/ ˌæٰɪˈːʃə /

verb

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

    to attribute a painting to Picasso

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٰܳٲ, adjective
  • ˈٰܳٱ, noun
  • attribution, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ·ٰ·ܳ·· adjective
  • ·ٰ·ܳ· ·ٰ··ٴǰ noun
  • ··ٰ·ܳٱ verb misattributed misattributing
  • ··ٰ·ܳٱ verb (used with object) reattributed reattributing
  • ܲ··ٰ·ܳ·· adverb
  • ܲ··ٰ·ܳ· adjective
  • ɱ-·ٰ·ܳ· adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of attribute1

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

Origin of attribute1

C15: from Latin attribuere to associate with, from tribuere to give
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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.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The Turkish military has denied carrying out a strike that day, but a police report seen by the BBC attributes the incident to a Turkish drone.

From

Portugal's grid operator REN refuted initial reports, attributed to the agency on Monday, which said the blackout was caused by a rare atmospheric event.

From

"Nor can the increase be attributed entirely to the ageing of the prison population," the report adds.

From

She no longer feels comfortable gardening for long periods of time because of a noxious odor she attributes to the site.

From

Watching him play he seems to have Premier League attributes.

From

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