ATTRIBUTE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does attribute mean? 

• ATTRIBUTE (noun)
  The noun ATTRIBUTE has 2 senses:

1. a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished

2. an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity

  Familiarity information: ATTRIBUTE used as a noun is rare.

• ATTRIBUTE (verb)
  The verb ATTRIBUTE has 2 senses:

1. attribute or credit to

2. decide as to where something belongs in a scheme

  Familiarity information: ATTRIBUTE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ATTRIBUTE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

attribute; dimension; property

Context example:

self-confidence is not an endearing property

Hypernyms ("attribute" is a kind of...):

concept; conception; construct (an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attribute"):

feature; feature of speech ((linguistics) a distinctive characteristic of a linguistic unit that serves to distinguish it from other units of the same kind)

characteristic; feature (a prominent attribute or aspect of something)

character; lineament; quality (a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity

Classified under:

Nouns with no superordinates

Hypernyms ("attribute" is a kind of...):

abstract entity; abstraction (a general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attribute"):

form; shape (the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance)

depth (the attribute or quality of being deep, strong, or intense)

heritage; inheritance (any attribute or immaterial possession that is inherited from ancestors)

property (a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class)

quality (an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone)

eidos ((anthropology) the distinctive expression of the cognitive or intellectual character of a culture or a social group)

ethos ((anthropology) the distinctive spirit of a culture or an era)

ballast (an attribute that tends to give stability in character and morals; something that steadies the mind or feelings)

uncheerfulness (not conducive to cheer or good spirits)

cheer; cheerfulness; sunniness; sunshine (the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom)

common denominator (an attribute that is common to all members of a category)

thing (any attribute or quality considered as having its own existence)

character ((genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genes)

trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)

human nature (the shared psychological attributes of humankind that are assumed to be shared by all human beings)

infinite; space (the unlimited expanse in which everything is located)

time (the continuum of experience in which events pass from the future through the present to the past)

state (the way something is with respect to its main attributes)

personality (the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual)

• ATTRIBUTE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they attribute ... he / she / it attributes
Past simple: attributed   
Past participle: attributed   
-ing form: attributing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Attribute or credit to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

ascribe; assign; attribute; impute

Context example:

People impute great cleverness to cats

Hypernyms (to "attribute" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Verb group:

impute (attribute (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attribute"):

impute (attribute (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source)

carnalize; sensualize (ascribe to an origin in sensation)

credit (give someone credit for something)

reattribute (attribute to another source)

anthropomorphise; anthropomorphize (ascribe human features to something)

personate; personify (attribute human qualities to something)

accredit; credit (ascribe an achievement to)

blame; charge (attribute responsibility to)

externalise; externalize; project (regard as objective)

interiorise; interiorize; internalise; internalize (incorporate within oneself; make subjective or personal)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

attributable (capable of being attributed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Decide as to where something belongs in a scheme

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

assign; attribute

Context example:

The biologist assigned the mushroom to the proper class

Hypernyms (to "attribute" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attribute"):

classify; relegate (assign to a class or kind)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

attribution (assigning to a cause or source)

 Context examples 

In other words, the color people were seeing could not be attributed to the light hitting the eye, but to unconscious inferences about the proper color of faces.

(Rosy health and sickly green: color associations play robust role in reading faces, National Institutes of Health)

Cassini scientists attribute Hyperion's unusual, sponge-like appearance to the fact that it has an unusually low density for such a large object — about half that of water.

(Cassini Prepares for Last Up-close Look at Hyperion, NASA)

"We continue to find evidence that the Neanderthals were not inferior primitives but were quite capable of doing things that have traditionally only been attributed to modern humans," said Villa.

(Neanderthals used resin 'glue' for tools, National Science Foundation)

Magnesium also reduces osteoporosis, helping to mitigate the risk of bone fracture that can be attributed to low levels of Vitamin D.

(Low Magnesium Levels Make Vitamin D Ineffective, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The remaining one-third can be attributed to human-caused climate change.

(New study finds world’s largest desert, the Sahara, has grown by 10 percent since 1920, National Science Foundation)

Her team attributes the lost calories in the whole-grain group primarily to increased metabolic rate and increased fecal energy losses.

(Whole Grains Deliver on Health Benefits, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

NOTE(S): Theoretically speaking, the category should be derivable from the subcategory, however if there may only be a category and not a subcategory, then both attributes must be present in the model.

(Adverse Event Category Code, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

A condition or event that is attributed to the adverse event and is the result or conclusion of the adverse event.

(Adverse Event Outcome, NCI Thesaurus)

The reactions of EC 3.1.8.1 aryldialkylphosphatase, were previously attributed to this enzyme. [EC 3.1.1.2 created 1961, modified 1989] (from IUBMB Enzyme Nomenclature).

(Arylesterase, NCI Thesaurus)

Proportion of a disease in exposed individuals that can be attributed to an exposure.

(Attributable Risk, NCI Dictionary)