attribution

noun

at·​tri·​bu·​tion ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən 

plural attributions

1

: the act of attributing something

especially : the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist

2

: an ascribed quality, character, or right

Supernatural powers were attributions of the gods.

3

psychology : the interpretive process by which people make judgments about the causes of their own behavior and the behavior of others

Psychologists have long documented what they call the fundamental attribution error, the tendency for people to explain human behavior in terms of the traits of individual actors, even when powerful situational forces are at work.

—Erica Goode

attributional

ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Synonyms of attribution

• attribute
• characteristic
• feature
• quality
• trait
• criterion

Examples of attribution in a Sentence

a genuine respect for one another is one of the most commonly cited attributions of a happily married couple

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, amid growing conversations around attribution, cultural appropriation and transparency, some brands are beginning to acknowledge the artisans behind their collections. — CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026

One of their agents hands the team a fast insight, pulled from correlational attribution data across three platform dashboards. — Tobin Thomas, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Yet many appeared eager to take Feldstein’s shifting attributions at face value. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026

Miller claims that the new proof hinges heavily on his prior work and that Astra did not give that work adequate attribution. — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see attribute entry 1

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for attribution

• absolution
• allocution
• comminution
• constitution
• contribution
• convolution
• destitution
• devolution
• diminution
• dissolution
• distribution
• elocution

Legal Definition

attribution

noun

at·​tri·​bu·​tion ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən 

: a rule in tax law that in certain cases deems property owned by one person or business entity to be owned by another or others