tribute
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something you say, do, or give to show how much you respect or admire someone.
n.an acknowledgment of gratitude, respect, or admiration, often taking the form of a public statement or a commemorative gift.
Simple“The concert was a moving tribute to the singer who died last year.”
In context“The retired professor received a heartfelt tribute from her former students, who credited her mentorship with their professional success.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'to'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.money or goods that one country or ruler was forced to pay to another for protection or peace.
n.a wealth payment made by one party to another as a sign of submission or price of protection, common in feudal or imperial contexts.
Simple“In ancient times, smaller kingdoms paid tribute to the empire to avoid being attacked.”
In context“The historical records detail the exact amount of gold and grain paid in annual tribute by the vassal states to the central authority.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a share of the ore or money given to a miner as their pay.
n.a proportion of the mined ore, or its equivalent value, given to a miner as a form of piecework payment.
Simple“The miners worked for a tribute, meaning they only got paid if they found good minerals.”
In context“Under the tribute system, the Cornish miners' earnings fluctuated wildly based on the quality of the lode they were currently excavating.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to give something as a sign of respect or as a required payment.
v.to pay or contribute something as a formal tribute. Transitive use is rare in modern prose.
Simple“The local lords would tribute a portion of their harvest to the king.”
In context“The ancient texts describe how the conquered tribes were forced to tribute their finest horses to the victors every spring.”
Usage tribute to the actress
“Each of them has a solo tribute, covering a pleasing variety of rock, soul and folk (Coffey’s plaintive ballad stands out).”
“It inspired the middle movements of Dvořák’s New World Symphony, his tribute to the country that had adopted him and his vision of what might inspire a new American music.”
PIE word *tréyes From Middle English tribut (14th c.), from Middle French tribut, from Latin tributum (“tribute”, literally “a thing contributed or paid”), past participle of tribuere (“to assign, allot”), usually derived from tribus (“tribe”, which see).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.