contributor

noun

con·​trib·​u·​tor kən-ˈtri-byə-tər 

-bə-,

-ˌbyü-

: someone or something that contributes something or that contributes to something

charitable contributors

… have suggested that the fee would hurt the agriculture industry, a sector they claim is the largest contributor to the state economy.

—Wenonah Hauter

… was illustrated by Oliver Munday, a frequent contributor to the Book Review …

—John Williams

These particles, which are known as black carbon and are the major component of soot, are the second most important contributor to global warming, behind only carbon dioxide, wrote the 31 authors of the study …

—Elisabeth Rosenthal

Examples of contributor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jonathan Dienst Jonathan Dienst is chief justice contributor for NBC News and chief investigative reporter for WNBC-TV in New York. —Jonathan Dienst, NBC News, 13 Dec. 2024

Despite having solid individual contributors, this team never gelled. —Todd Boss, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

Though the Fed has enacted two rate cuts since September totaling three-quarters of a percentage point, interest expenses continue to be a big contributor to the deficit. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024

The first resolution adopted by the group focused on the energy sector as both a significant contributor to U.S. West economies and a critical resource to meeting the nation’s demands. —Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contributour "person who pays a tax or assessment," borrowed from Anglo-French, "one who pays a share of a tax or fine," from Latin contribūt-, past participle stem of Latin contribuere "to give as a portion or share" + -our -or entry 1 — more at contribute

First Known Use

circa 1531, in the meaning defined above