noun

attribute

/ˈætrɪbjuːt/ (noun), /əˈtrɪbjuːt/ (verb) · say it: AT·ruh·byoot (noun), uh·TRIB·yoot (verb)

a quality regarded as characteristic

In Nuance & Precision

In more detail

1. (noun) a quality or characteristic that someone or something has

2. (verb) to say that something was caused by or belonged to someone or something

Examples

Honesty is an important attribute for a good leader.
They attribute the company's success to hard work and innovation.

How to use attribute

As a noun, 'attribute' refers to an inherent quality or characteristic, often used in formal or technical contexts to describe distinguishing features of people, objects, or concepts. As a verb, it means to assign responsibility or origin to something or someone, frequently appearing in phrases like 'attribute X to Y'. The noun form is more common in everyday usage than the verb.

Common phrases

key attribute
common attribute
physical attribute
attribute something to
attribute success to

Synonyms

quality · characteristic · trait · feature · property

Word family

attribution · attributable · attributive

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse the verb form 'attribute to' with 'contribute to'; remember that 'attribute' means to assign credit or blame, while 'contribute' means to help cause or add to something.

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