attribute

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at·trib·ute • v. / əˈtriˌbyoōt/ [tr.] (attribute something to) regard something as being caused by (someone or something): he attributed the firm's success to the efforts of the director. ∎  ascribe a work or remark to (a particular author, artist, or speaker): the building was attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright. ∎  regard a quality or feature as characteristic of or possessed by (someone or something): ancient peoples attributed magic properties to certain stones.• n. (at·tri·bute) / ˈatrəˌbyoōt/ a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something: flexibility and mobility are the key attributes of our army. ∎  a material object recognized as symbolic of a person, esp. a conventional object used in art to identify a saint or mythical figure. ∎  Gram. an attributive adjective or noun. ∎  Statistics a real property that a statistical analysis is attempting to describe.DERIVATIVES: at·trib·ut·a·ble / əˈtribyətəbəl/ adj.at·tri·bu·tion / ˌatrəˈbyoōshən/ n.

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