ATTRIBUTIVE

ATTRIBUTIVE. A grammatical term contrasting with predicative. The attributive position is in front of a noun: the position of new in a new house and steel in steel bridge. It may imply a permanent attribute, as a result of which some adjectives and most nouns can only be attributive: an atomic scientist but not *the scientist was atomic; the greenhouse effect but not *the effect is green-house. Some attributive-only adjectives refer to relationships (a former chairman), intensify a noun (It's a downright swindle), or limit it (the only time, the main idea). Some adjectives that are both attributive and predicative can have a special meaning when attributive (my late uncle, a certain person, a perfect nuisance, a good listener, poor old you). Some phrases that are otherwise not hyphenated are hyphenated when attributive: well known in a well-known politician, round the clock in a round-the-clock vigil, right to life in the right-to-life movement, but hyphens are not usual after an adverb ending in -ly (contrast a carefully written report with a well-written report). See JOURNALESE, PARTICIPLE, PHRASE WORD, PREDICATIVE ADJECTIVE, SENTENCE WORD.