adj · noun · 4 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.
Received-Pronunciation:/əˈtɹɪb.ju.tɪv/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada, General-American:/əˈtɹɪb.jə.tɪv/
Canada, General-American:/əˈtɹɪb.jə.ɾɪv/
1
adj
Meaning 1
Modifying another word, typically a noun, while in the same phrase.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
In "this big house," big is an attributive, while in "this house is big," it is a predicative.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective
Meaning 4
of adjectives; placed before the nouns they modify
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
`red' is an attributive adjective in `a red apple'
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: prenominal
Antonyms: predicative
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin attributusbor. English attribute Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English attributive From attribute + -ive.
Across languages
Translations
42 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
təyini
— of, or being an attributive
Catalan:
atributiu
— of, or being an attributive
Chinese Mandarin:
定語的 /定语的
(dìngyǔ de)
— of, or being an attributive
Danish:
attributiv
— of, or being an attributive
Dutch:
attributief
— of, or being an attributive
Finnish:
attributiivinen
— of, or being an attributive
French:
épithète
— of, or being an attributive
Galician:
atributivo
— of, or being an attributive
German:
attributiv
— of, or being an attributive
Hungarian:
jelzői
— of, or being an attributive
Irish:
aitreabúideach
— of, or being an attributive
Japanese:
限定的な
(genteiteki na)
— of, or being an attributive
Kazakh:
анықтауыштық
(anyqtauyştyq)
— of, or being an attributive
Polish:
atrybutywny
— of, or being an attributive
Polish:
określający
— of, or being an attributive
Romanian:
atributiv
— of, or being an attributive
Russian:
определи́тельный
(opredelítelʹnyj)
— of, or being an attributive
Scottish Gaelic:
buaidh-aithriseach
— of, or being an attributive
Spanish:
atributivo
— of, or being an attributive
Swedish:
attributiv
— of, or being an attributive
Welsh:
disgrifiadol
— of, or being an attributive
Catalan:
atributiu
— having the nature of an attribute
Chinese Mandarin:
歸屬的 /归属的
(guīshǔ de)
— having the nature of an attribute
Dutch:
attributief
— having the nature of an attribute
Finnish:
attributiivinen
— having the nature of an attribute
French:
attributif
— having the nature of an attribute
Galician:
atributivo
— having the nature of an attribute
German:
attributiv
— having the nature of an attribute
Irish:
cáilíochta
— having the nature of an attribute
Kazakh:
анықтауыштық
(anyqtauyştyq)
— having the nature of an attribute
Kazakh:
атрибуттық
(atributtyq)
— having the nature of an attribute
Polish:
atrybutywny
— having the nature of an attribute
Russian:
атрибути́вный
(atributívnyj)
— having the nature of an attribute
Chinese Mandarin:
定語 /定语
(dìngyǔ)
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
Finnish:
attributiivi
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
French:
épithète
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
Hungarian:
jelző
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
Japanese:
連体形
(rentaikei)
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
Polish:
przydawka
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
Russian:
определе́ние
(opredelénije)
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
Russian:
атрибути́в
(atributív)
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase
Northern Sami:
attribuhtta
— a word or phrase that modifies a noun and is part of the noun's noun phrase