Standard Lemma guide

tribute

noun · verb · 11 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.

  • /ˈtɹɪbjuːt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: T R IH1 B Y UW0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Please accept this as a tribute of our thanks.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: testimonial

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift.

An homage made in a body of work to another work or creator.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Did you catch the Up in Smoke tribute in that episode of That '70s Show?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: testimonial

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A payment made by one nation to another in submission.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The Ancient Romans made their conquered countries pay tribute.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Extortion; protection money.

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

5

noun

Meaning 5

A payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord.

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

6

noun

Meaning 6

A certain proportion of the mined ore, or of its value, given to the miner as payment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: business, mining

Examples

  • 1852-1866, Charles Tomlinson, Cyclopaedia of Useful Arts and Manufactures Tut-work is also employed upon the lode itself, though from the advantages generally considered to arise from the tribute system [...]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

Ellipsis of cum tribute.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable, vulgar

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To pay as tribute.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

payment extorted by gangsters on threat of violence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • every store in the neighborhood had to pay him protection

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: protection

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: extortion

10

noun

Meaning 10

payment by one nation for protection by another

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: payment, defrayal, defrayment

11

noun

Meaning 11

something given or done as an expression of esteem

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: testimonial

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: approval, commendation

History

Etymology

PIE word *tréyes From Middle English tribut (14th c.), from Middle French tribut, from Latin tributum (“tribute”, literally “a thing contributed or paid”), past participle of tribuere (“to assign, allot”), usually derived from tribus (“tribe”, which see).

Across languages

Translations

104 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Assamese: শ্ৰদ্ধাঞ্জলি (sroddhañzoli) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Belarusian: дані́на (danína) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Belarusian: нале́жнае (naljéžnaje) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Bulgarian: дан (dan) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Bulgarian: дължи́мо (dǎlžímo) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Catalan: tribut — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Catalan: homenatge — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Czech: hold — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Czech: úcta — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Finnish: kunnianosoitus — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • French: hommage — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • French: tribut — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • German: Tribut — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Hindi: श्रद्धांजलि (śraddhāñjli) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Irish: ómós — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Italian: omaggio — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Japanese: オマージュ (omāju) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Latin: tribūtum — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Māori: whakamānawatanga — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Old English: gombe — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Polish: wyrazy uznania — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Polish: hołd — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Portuguese: homenagem — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Russian: дань (danʹ) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Russian: до́лжное (dólžnoje) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Serbo-Croatian: да̏нак — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Serbo-Croatian: dȁnak — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Slovak: hold — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Slovak: pocta — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Spanish: tributo — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Spanish: homenaje — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Ukrainian: дани́на (danýna) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Ukrainian: нале́жне (naléžne) — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Welsh: teyrnged — acknowledgment of gratitude, respect or admiration; an accompanying gift
  • Arabic: جِزْيَة (jizya) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Azerbaijani: təzminat — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Belarusian: дані́на (danína) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Belarusian: по́даць (pódacʹ) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Belarusian: дань (danʹ) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Bulgarian: да́нък (dánǎk) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Bulgarian: дан (dan) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Catalan: tribut — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Chinese Mandarin: 貢品 /贡品 (gòngpǐn) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Chinese Mandarin: 朝貢 /朝贡 (cháogòng) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Czech: daň — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Egyptian: bA-k:H_SPACE-Y1:Z2 (bꜣkw) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Finnish: pakkovero — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Finnish: tribuutti — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Finnish: suojeluraha — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • French: tribut — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Georgian: ხარკი (xarḳi) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • German: Tribut — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Gothic: 𐌲𐌹𐌻𐍃𐍄𐍂 (gilstr) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Gothic: 𐌲𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍂 (gabaur) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Greek: φόρος υποτέλειας (fóros ypotéleias) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Ancient Greek: φόρος (phóros) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Indonesian: upeti — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Italian: tributo — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Japanese: 貢ぎ物 (mitsugimono) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Japanese: 貢ぎ (mitsugi) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Japanese: 朝貢 (chōkō) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Korean: 조공 (jogong) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Latin: stipendium — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Malay: ufti — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Old English: gafol — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Persian: باج (bâj) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Persian: ساو (sâv) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Polish: danina — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Polish: trybut — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Portuguese: tributo — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Russian: дань (danʹ) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Russian: по́дать (pódatʹ) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Slovak: daň — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Spanish: parias — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Spanish: tributo — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Spanish: mita — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Swahili: kodi — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Ukrainian: дани́на (danýna) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Ukrainian: по́дать (pódatʹ) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Ukrainian: пода́ток (podátok) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Ukrainian: дань (danʹ) — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Vietnamese: triều cống — payment made by one nation to another in submission
  • Bulgarian: рекет (reket) — extortion; protection money
  • Chinese Mandarin: 保護費 /保护费 (bǎohùfèi) — extortion; protection money
  • Finnish: suojeluraha — extortion; protection money
  • Greek: προστασία (prostasía) — extortion; protection money
  • Russian: дань (danʹ) — extortion; protection money
  • Arabic: خَرَاج (ḵarāj) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Dutch: afdracht — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Finnish: suojeluraha — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Gothic: 𐌲𐌹𐌻𐍃𐍄𐍂 (gilstr) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Irish: ardchíos — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Old Irish: mál — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Japanese: 貢ぎ物 (mitsugimono) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Japanese: 貢ぎ (mitsugi) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Polish: danina — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Polish: trybut — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Portuguese: preito — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Portuguese: vassalagem — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Portuguese: tributo — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Russian: дань (danʹ) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Tamil: கப்பம் (kappam) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Tamil: திறை (tiṟai) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
  • Ukrainian: дань (danj) — payment made by a feudal vassal to his lord
Real reading context

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