Attribute means something rather similar to "pay tribute". So, for example, an award winner who pays tribute to an inspiring professor is, in a sense, attributing her success to the professor. Though if you …

to consider as a quality or characteristic of the person, thing, group, etc., indicated. He attributed intelligence to his colleagues. to consider as made by the one indicated, especially with strong …

To regard (a work, for example) as belonging to or produced by a specified agent, place, or time: attributed the painting to Titian; attributed the vase to 18th-century Japan.

If a piece of writing, a work of art, or a remark is attributed to someone, people say that they wrote it, created it, or said it.

Attribute comes from the Latin verb attribuere, which is made up the prefix ad, meaning "to," and tribuere meaning "give or bestow." As a verb, to attribute is to give credit, like if you attribute the A on your …

attribute something to something to say or believe that something is the result of a particular thing She attributes her success to hard work and a little luck. The power failure was attributed to the recent …

attribute sth to sb This idea has long been attributed to Keynes, but in fact he was not the first to think of it.

Attributed means to regard something as being caused by someone or something. In a more specific context, it often refers to the act of assigning credit or responsibility for a particular outcome or …

to consider that something is the result of something else: She attributes his bad temper to ill health. to believe that a person or thing has a certain quality or characteristic: It is a mistake to attribute too …

Sep 26, 2025 · Adjective [edit] attributed (not comparable) (programming) decorated with an attribute quotations