Word
attributed
Phoneticsat·trib·uted
US/əˈtɹɪbjətɪd/
UK/ɐtɹˈɪbjuːtɪd/
Definitions
01assigned to a cause or creator
v. to say that a particular person wrote something, said something, or caused something to happen.
v. to ascribe a work, statement, or event to a specific person, cause, or origin. Often used in the passive voice with the preposition 'to'.
“The beautiful painting was attributed to a famous artist from the 1800s.”
“The sudden increase in local temperatures was attributed to a combination of urban heat islands and shifting atmospheric currents.”
Usage
Commonly follows the pattern 'X is attributed to Y'.
Pitfall
The quote was attributed at the famous writer.
The quote was attributed to the famous writer.
Always use the preposition 'to' when stating the source or cause.
02having a specific quality
adj. having a specific quality or symbol connected to it.
adj. possessing or decorated with a specific attribute or symbolic quality. In art history, it refers to a figure identified by a specific object.
“The statue of the goddess was easily identified by her attributed shield and spear.”
“The attributed characteristics of the protagonist in the early chapters serve as a foil for his eventual moral decline.”
Formal · Technical
Teaching tip
This adjectival use is rare outside of academic contexts like art history or literary analysis.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“He suggested it was possible Russia was behind it but Polish officials have not yet attributed it to Moscow.” “But the average masks sharp regional gaps – in Haut-Uélé, the rate is only around 58 per cent, which WHO attributed partly to incomplete reporting.” “Dominguez’s comments followed a strike on the deck cargo ship Tihamah , which has been attributed to Yemen’s Houthi fighters.” “In India, the disruption was attributed to a demon’s disembodied head.” Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/attributed