attribute

1 of 2

noun

at·​tri·​bute ˈa-trə-ˌbyüt 

1

: a quality, character, or characteristic ascribed to someone or something

has leadership attributes

2

: an object closely associated with or belonging to a specific person, thing, or office

a scepter is the attribute of power

especially : such an object used for identification in painting or sculpture

3

grammar : a word ascribing a quality

especially : adjective

attribute

2 of 2

verb

at·​trib·​ute ə-ˈtri-ˌbyüt 

-byət

attributed; attributing

transitive verb

1

: to explain (something) by indicating a cause

He attributed his success to hard work.

2

a

: to regard as a characteristic of a person or thing

should not attribute adult reasoning to children

b

: to reckon as made or originated in an indicated fashion

attributed the invention to a Russian

c

: classify, designate

attributable

ə-ˈtri-byü-tə-bəl 

-byə-

adjective

Did you know?

Attribute means something rather similar to "pay tribute". So, for example, an award winner who pays tribute to an inspiring professor is, in a sense, attributing her success to the professor. Though if you attribute your fear of dogs to an incident in your childhood, you're not exactly praising the nasty dog that bit you way back when. The second sense of attribute is slightly different: If you attribute bad motives to a politician, it means you think he or she is doing things for the wrong reasons (even if you don't have any proof). When attribute is accented on its first syllable, it's being used as a noun, usually as a synonym for quality. So, for instance, you may believe that an even temper is an attribute of the best presidents, or that cheerfulness is your spouse's best attribute.

Synonyms

Noun

• affection
• attribution
• character
• characteristic
• criterion
• diagnostic
• differentia
• feature
• fingerprint
• hallmark
• mark
• marker
• note
• particularity
• peculiarity
• point
• property
• quality
• specific
• stamp
• touch
• trait

Verb

• accredit
• ascribe
• chalk up
• credit
• impute
• lay
• put down

Choose the Right Synonym for attribute

Noun

quality, property, character, attribute mean an intelligible feature by which a thing may be identified.

quality is a general term applicable to any trait or characteristic whether individual or generic.

material with a silky quality

property implies a characteristic that belongs to a thing's essential nature and may be used to describe a type or species.

the property of not conducting heat

character applies to a peculiar and distinctive quality of a thing or a class.

remarks of an unseemly character

attribute implies a quality ascribed to a thing or a being.

the attributes of a military hero

Verb

ascribe, attribute, assign, impute, credit mean to lay something to the account of a person or thing.

ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

credited his teammates for his success

Examples of attribute in a Sentence

Noun

The interviewer asked me what I consider to be my best attribute.

Both candidates possess the attributes we want in a leader.

Verb

attributed the quick rescue to the well-trained police force

a psychotherapist who's a little too quick to attribute every emotional problem or character defect to an unhappy childhood

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The 22-year-old striker is experiencing a difficult second season at the club, yet has the raw attributes to be a good No 9. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025

This sort of climate analysis—based on slow changes in animal teeth, as well as their mass and other attributes at a single site—has never been published in the scientific literature. —Michael Ray Taylor, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2025

Verb

The Education Department reported a 5.5% backlog despite a 62% spike in requests, which the agency attributed to tech upgrades and department-wide training. —Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 18 May 2025

This growth can be attributed to both an increase in ad impressions and a higher average price per advertisement. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Latin attributus, past participle of attribuere to attribute, from ad- + tribuere to bestow — more at tribute

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing attribute

• attribute (something) to (someone or something)

Rhymes for attribute

• absolute
• arrowroot
• bitterroot
• constitute
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute
• kiwifruit

Kids Definition

attribute

1 of 2 noun

at·​tri·​bute ˈa-trə-ˌbyüt 

1

: a quality belonging to a particular person or thing

2

: a word that indicates a quality

especially : adjective

attribute

2 of 2 verb

at·​trib·​ute ə-ˈtrib-yət 

-ˌyüt

attributed; attributing

1

: to explain as the cause of

attribute our success to hard work

2

: to think of as likely to be a quality of a person or thing

attribute stubbornness to mules

attributable

-yət-ə-bəl 

adjective

attribution

ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən

noun