Standard Lemma guide

attribution

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˌæ.tɹɪˈbju.ʃən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: AE2 T R IH0 B Y UW1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of attributing something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An explicit or formal acknowledgment of ownership or authorship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The attribution of the quote is widely regarded as dubious.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A legal doctrine by which liability is extended to a defendant who did not actually commit the tortious or criminal act.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Authority or function assigned

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

assigning to a cause or source

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the attribution of lighting to an expression of God's wrath
  • he questioned the attribution of the painting to Picasso

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ascription

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: classification, categorization, categorisation, sorting

Narrower terms: animatism, imputation, externalization, externalisation

6

noun

Meaning 6

assigning some quality or character to a person or thing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the attribution of language to birds
  • the ascription to me of honors I had not earned

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ascription

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: classification, categorization, categorisation, sorting

Narrower terms: zoomorphism

History

Etymology

From Middle French attribution, from Latin attributio.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: attribuutio — act
  • Hindi: गुणारोपण (guṇāropaṇ) — act
  • Indonesian: atribusi — act
  • Irish: aitreabúideacht — act
  • Polish: atrybucja — act
  • Spanish: atribución — act
  • Swedish: attribution — act
  • Swedish: tillskrivning — act
  • Tagalog: atribusyon — act
  • Danish: tilskrivning — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • Finnish: alkuperä — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • German: Zuschreibung — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • Norwegian Bokmål: heder — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • Polish: atrybucja — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • Spanish: atribución — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • Swedish: attribution — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • Vietnamese: lời ghi công — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
  • Vietnamese: lời công nhận — acknowledgment of ownership or authorship
Real reading context

attribution in complete knowledge articles

Bertie Greatheed Language & communication · Challenging · 1 uses D46 motorway (Czech Republic) Technology & inventions · Advanced · 1 uses John Davidson (traveller) Language & communication · Challenging · 1 uses Odes 1.23 Literature & books · Accessible · 1 uses Pablo José Arriaga Language & communication · Advanced · 1 uses Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf ein History & culture · Accessible · 1 uses The Red Cockade Literature & books · Developing · 1 uses Thomas Windebank Language & communication · Developing · 1 uses