attribution

noun

at·​tri·​bu·​tion ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən 

plural attributions

1

: the act of attributing something

especially : the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist

2

: an ascribed quality, character, or right

Supernatural powers were attributions of the gods.

3

psychology : the interpretive process by which people make judgments about the causes of their own behavior and the behavior of others

Psychologists have long documented what they call the fundamental attribution error, the tendency for people to explain human behavior in terms of the traits of individual actors, even when powerful situational forces are at work.

—Erica Goode

attributional

ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• affection
• attribute
• character
• characteristic
• criterion
• diagnostic
• differentia
• feature
• fingerprint
• hallmark
• mark
• marker
• note
• particularity
• peculiarity
• point
• property
• quality
• specific
• stamp
• touch
• trait

Examples of attribution in a Sentence

a genuine respect for one another is one of the most commonly cited attributions of a happily married couple

Recent Examples on the Web

That is according to World Weather Attribution, a collection of scientists that run rapid climate attribution studies that have not been peer-reviewed. —CBS News, 22 June 2024

What's more, through a method called free attribution, companies can assign the recycled value from other chemicals (even if they would never be turned into plastic) to the yogurt pouches . —Lisa Song, ProPublica, 20 June 2024

The principal spoke not for attribution because he was not authorized to be interviewed. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2024

OpenAI has been trying to avoid copyright lawsuits over training data and attribution The agreements also cover how content from the publishers is displayed inside of ChatGPT. —Emilia David, The Verge, 29 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

see attribute entry 1

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Legal Definition

attribution

noun

at·​tri·​bu·​tion ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən 

: a rule in tax law that in certain cases deems property owned by one person or business entity to be owned by another or others