What does attribute mean?
An attribute is a quality or feature considered to belong naturally to a person, thing, or idea — patience might be called an attribute of a good teacher, just as durability is an attribute of steel. The same word also works as a verb: to attribute something means to assign it to a particular cause, origin, or owner, as in attributing a quotation to Shakespeare or a company's growth to strong leadership. This double life comes with a subtle shift in pronunciation: the noun stresses the first syllable (AT-tribute), while the verb stresses the second (at-TRIBUTE). The word derives from Latin attribuere, meaning to allot or assign, which explains why both senses involve the idea of attaching something — whether a trait to a person or a cause to an effect. In modern technical language, attributes are the named properties attached to files, data records, and code elements. Versatile and precise, 'attribute' serves equally well in everyday conversation, scholarly writing, and computing.
A quality, feature, or characteristic regarded as inherent to someone or something.
"Her most striking attribute is her unshakable calm under pressure."
Often used in plural when listing desirable qualities, e.g. 'personal attributes'.
To regard something as being caused by, produced by, or belonging to a particular person, thing, or source.
"Historians have long attributed the manuscript's anonymous passages to a later scribe."
Typically followed by 'to': attribute X to Y.
The plural is common when enumerating several qualities, as in résumé language or character descriptions.
"The ideal candidate should possess strong analytical and interpersonal attributes."
The stress moves when 'attribute' switches jobs: as a noun you say AT-tribute, but as a verb you say at-TRIBUTE — one word wearing two different hats.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of attribute
The word 'attribute' comes from the Latin verb attribuere, formed from ad- ('to') plus tribuere ('to assign, bestow'), itself derived from tribus, referring to the tribes among which things were allotted. It entered English in the late Middle Ages via Old French attributer, initially as a verb meaning to assign or ascribe. The noun sense of a characteristic inherent to something developed alongside it, reinforced by philosophical usage describing essential properties. It shares its Latin root with related words such as contribute, distribute, and tribute, all built on the stem tribuere.
Related word forms
How attribute is actually used
Note the stress shift between parts of speech: the noun takes stress on the first syllable (AT-tribute), while the verb stresses the second syllable (at-TRIBUTE). The verb is standard in both formal and everyday contexts, especially in journalism and academic writing ('officials attributed the delay to bad weather'). The noun often appears in evaluative descriptions of people, as in 'personal attributes' on job listings. In computing, 'attribute' is a technical term for metadata attached to files, database fields, HTML elements, and object-oriented programming classes.
Easily confused with attribute
A tribute is an act or statement honoring someone, while an attribute is either a characteristic of something or the act of assigning a quality or cause to it.