attribution
- 01 C1 Advanced
the act of giving credit to the person who wrote, painted, or created something.
the formal acknowledgement of authorship or ownership of a creative work.
Simple“The article was published without attribution, so we don't know who wrote it.”
In context“Proper attribution is a cornerstone of academic integrity, ensuring that original researchers receive credit for their intellectual contributions.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'to'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
the process of deciding that something was caused by a specific person or thing.
the act of ascribing a quality, character, or event to a specific cause or source.
Simple“Scientists are working on the attribution of recent heatwaves to climate change.”
In context“The attribution of the economic recovery to the new tax policy remains a subject of intense debate among leading analysts.”
UsageCommon in scientific and statistical contexts regarding causality.
Synonymsascriptionassignment - 03 C2 Proficiency
a rule where one person is held responsible for the actions of another person.
a legal doctrine by which liability is extended to a defendant who did not personally commit the act.
Simple“The company faced legal attribution for the mistakes made by its local partners.”
In context“Under the principle of attribution, the state can be held responsible for the conduct of its officials even if they exceed their authority.”
UsageTypically used in international law or corporate liability contexts.
Synonymsimputationliability
From Middle French attribution, from Latin attributio.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.