Word
attribution
Phoneticsat·tri·bu·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌætɹɪbˈjuʃən/
UK/ɐtɹɪbjˈuːʃən/
Definitions
01naming an author or creator
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic · Formal
n. the act of giving credit to the person who wrote, painted, or created something.
n. the formal acknowledgement of authorship or ownership of a creative work.
“The article was published without attribution, so we don't know who wrote it.”
“Proper attribution is a cornerstone of academic integrity, ensuring that original researchers receive credit for their intellectual contributions.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02identifying a cause
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Science Academic · Technical
n. the process of deciding that something was caused by a specific person or thing.
n. the act of ascribing a quality, character, or event to a specific cause or source.
“Scientists are working on the attribution of recent heatwaves to climate change.”
“The attribution of the economic recovery to the new tax policy remains a subject of intense debate among leading analysts.”
Usage
Common in scientific and statistical contexts regarding causality.
Synonyms
03legal liability
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. a rule where one person is held responsible for the actions of another person.
n. a legal doctrine by which liability is extended to a defendant who did not personally commit the act.
“The company faced legal attribution for the mistakes made by its local partners.”
“Under the principle of attribution, the state can be held responsible for the conduct of its officials even if they exceed their authority.”
Usage
Typically used in international law or corporate liability contexts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The second step involves identifying the cause (attribution).” “The research, published in Nature Machine Intelligence, could offer insight into artist attribution and style, cultural heritage, and music education.” “But in the early 20th century the attribution was reassessed, and the work reclassified as being by “anonymous”.” Etymology
From Middle French attribution, from Latin attributio.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/attribution