Attribute
/ˈætrɪbjuːt/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo ascribe something to a cause or source.
/əˈtraɪbjuːt/
To regard something as being caused by someone or something.
The doctor attributed her illness to stress.
💡 Simply: To say that something is caused by something else.
More Examples
He attributed his failure to lack of preparation.
How It's Used
"They attributed the success of the project to the team's hard work."
A quality, characteristic, or feature of something.
/ˈætrɪbjuːt/
A quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something.
His best attribute is his kindness.
💡 Simply: A characteristic or feature of something.
More Examples
The car's main attributes are speed and luxury.
How It's Used
"Each element in the array has an attribute specifying its type."
"Patience is a valuable attribute."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
attribute something to...
To ascribe something to a particular cause or person.
"We attribute the team's success to their excellent teamwork."
From Latin *attribuere* "to give, assign, ascribe," from *ad-* "to" + *tributere* "to give," from *tributum* "tribute, contribution."
The word's usage has remained consistent throughout history, primarily focused on assigning causality and describing characteristics.
Memory tip
Think of 'tributing' something – giving credit or assigning it.
Word Origin
"to give, assign"