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
Erica GoodeSynonyms
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
The medal was reassigned to France after the IOC concluded that its recipient, British cyclist Lloyd Hildebrand, was competing as part of a French club at a time when medal attribution did not strictly depend on citizenship.
—Julen Chauvin, CNN, 17 June 2024
In a call Tuesday about the new climate attribution results, Michelle Litwin, Phoenix's Heat Response Program Manager, said Phoenix handed out 400,000 water bottles and provided 28,000 people with heat response supplies last year in an effort to manage escalating human health impacts.
—Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 1 June 2024
Statements without attribution were rated as the most likely to be factual.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 17 May 2024
Further, TikTok will implement tools and processes to help address provenance and attribution issues, helping artists and songwriters to more effectively monetize their work.
—Dan Rys, Billboard, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for attribution 
Julen Chauvin, CNN, 17 June 2024
In a call Tuesday about the new climate attribution results, Michelle Litwin, Phoenix's Heat Response Program Manager, said Phoenix handed out 400,000 water bottles and provided 28,000 people with heat response supplies last year in an effort to manage escalating human health impacts.
—Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 1 June 2024
Statements without attribution were rated as the most likely to be factual.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 17 May 2024
Further, TikTok will implement tools and processes to help address provenance and attribution issues, helping artists and songwriters to more effectively monetize their work.
—Dan Rys, Billboard, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for attribution
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attribution.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near attribution
Cite this Entry
“Attribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attribution. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal 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
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