attribute
Other forms: attributed; attributes; attributing
An attribute is a quality or characteristic given to a person, group, or some other thing. Your best attribute might be your willingness to help others, like when you stopped traffic so the duck family could cross the street.
Attribute comes from the Latin verb attribuere, which is made up the prefix ad, meaning "to," and tribuere meaning "give or bestow." As a verb, to attribute is to give credit, like if you attribute the A on your test to all that hard studying. In Greek and Roman mythology an attribute will often stand in for a character such as Zeus's lightning bolt or Poseidon's trident.
Definitions of attribute (/ˈætrəˌbjut/)
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an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entitytypes:statethe way something is with respect to its main attributestimethe continuum of experience in which events pass from the future through the present to the pasthuman naturethe shared psychological attributes of humankind that are assumed to be shared by all human beingstraita distinguishing feature of your personal naturecharacter(genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genesthingany attribute or quality considered as having its own existencecommon denominatoran attribute that is common to all members of a categorypersonalitythe complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individualuncheerfulnessnot conducive to cheer or good spiritsballastan attribute that tends to give stability in character and morals; something that steadies the mind or feelingsethos(anthropology) the distinctive spirit of a culture or an eraeidos(anthropology) the distinctive expression of the cognitive or intellectual character of a culture or a social groupqualityan essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someonepropertya basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a classdepththe attribute or quality of being deep, strong, or intensetraita genetically determined or inherited characteristicfeelingthe experiencing of affective and emotional statesabsolute spacephysical space independent of what occupies itphase space(physics) an ideal space in which the coordinate dimensions represent the variables that are required to describe a system or substanceunit character(genetics) a character inherited on an all-or-none basis and dependent on the presence of a single geneidentity, individuality, personal identity, selfhoodthe distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entitypersonablenessthe complex of attributes that make a person socially attractiveanal personality, anal retentive personality(psychoanalysis) a personality characterized by meticulous neatness and suspicion and reserve; said to be formed in early childhood by fixation during the anal stage of development (usually as a consequence of toilet training)genital personality(psychoanalysis) the mature personality which is not dominated by infantile pleasure drivesnarcissistic personalitypersonality marked by self-love and self-absorption; unrealistic views about your own qualities and little regard for othersobsessive-compulsive personalitypersonality characterized by a strong need to repeat certain acts or ritualsoral personality(psychoanalysis) a personality characterized either by generous optimism or aggressive and ambitious selfishness; formed in early childhood by fixation during the oral stage of developmentcharacter, fiber, fibrethe inherent complex of attributes that determines a person's moral and ethical actions and reactionsnaturethe complex of emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's characteristic actions and reactionsgood-humoredness, good-humouredness, good-naturedness, good-temperednessa cheerful willingness to be obligingcommunicativenessthe trait of being communicativeuncommunicativenessthe trait of being uncommunicativethoughtfulnessthe trait of thinking carefully before actingattentivenessthe trait of being observant and paying attentioninattentivenessthe trait of not being considerate and thoughtful of othersmasculinitythe trait of behaving in ways considered typical for menattraction, attractivenessthe quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attractsopacity, opaquenessthe quality of being opaque to a degree; the degree to which something reduces the passage of lightdivisibilitythe quality of being divisible; the capacity to be divided into parts or divided among a number of personssuitability, suitablenessthe quality of having the properties that are right for a specific purposearabilitythe quality of land that is appropriate for cultivationimpressivenessthe quality of making a strong or vivid impression on the mindnavigabilitythe quality of being suitable for the passage of a ship or aircraftneedinessthe quality of needing attention and affection and reassurance to a marked degreepublicitythe quality of being open to public viewspinnabilitythe quality of being suitable for spinning or the capability of being spun (used of textile fibers)ineptness, unsuitability, unsuitablenessthe quality of having the wrong properties for a specific purposeprotectivenessthe quality of providing protectionnaturethe essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognizedexcellencethe quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degreeultimatethe finest or most superior quality of its kindchangelessness, unchangeability, unchangeableness, unchangingnessthe quality of being unchangeable; having a marked tendency to remain unchangedsamenessthe quality of being alikedifferencethe quality of being unlike or dissimilarprobabilitythe quality of being probable; a probable event or the most probable eventcounterfactualitythe quality of being contrary to factcorporality, corporeality, materiality, physicalnessthe quality of being physical; consisting of matterparticularity, specialnessthe quality of being particular and pertaining to a specific case or instancegeneralitythe quality of being general or widespread or having general applicabilityregularitythe quality of being characterized by a fixed principle or ratemobilitythe quality of moving freelyimmobilitythe quality of not movingunpleasantnessthe quality of giving displeasurenaturalnessthe quality of being natural or based on natural principlesunnaturalnessthe quality of being unnatural or not based on natural principleswholesomenessthe quality of being beneficial and generally good for yousatisfactorinessthe quality of giving satisfaction sufficient to meet a demand or requirementunsatisfactorinessthe quality of being inadequate or unsuitableextraordinarinessthe quality of being extraordinary and not commonly encounteredethnicityan ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural tiesnativenessthe quality of belonging to or being connected with a certain place or region by virtue of birth or originoriginalitythe quality of being new and original (not derived from something else)unoriginalitythe quality of being unoriginalaccuracy(mathematics) the number of significant figures given in a numberinaccuracythe quality of being inaccurate and having errorsdistinctiona distinguishing qualitypopularitythe quality of being widely admired or accepted or sought afterunpopularitythe quality of lacking general approval or acceptancelawfulnessthe quality of conforming to lawunlawfulnessthe quality of failing to conform to lawelegancea refined quality of gracefulness and good tasteelegancea quality of neatness and ingenious simplicity in the solution of a problem (especially in science or mathematics)inelegancethe quality of lacking refinement and good tasteurbanitythe quality or character of life in a city or townexpressivenessthe quality of being expressiveincomprehensibilitythe quality of being incomprehensiblehumanenessthe quality of compassion or consideration for others (people or animals)stinginessa lack of generosity; a general unwillingness to part with moneyegocentrism, egoism, self-centeredness, self-concern, self-interest, selfhoodconcern for your own interests and welfaredrivethe trait of being highly motivatedmoralityconcern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conductimmoralitythe quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conductamoralitythe quality of being amoraldivinitythe quality of being divineidealitythe quality of being idealunholinessthe quality of being unholyparental qualitya quality appropriate to a parentmundaneness, mundanity, sophistication, worldlinessthe quality or character of being intellectually sophisticated and worldly through cultivation or experience or disillusionmentdisciplinethe trait of being well behavedpridethe trait of being spurred on by a dislike of falling below your standardsjudgement, judgment, perspicacity, sound judgement, sound judgmentthe capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusionscleanlinessdiligence in keeping cleanuncleanlinesslack of cleanly habitsbehavior, behaviour, conduct, demeanor, demeanour, deportment(behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other peopleactinismthe property of radiation that enables it to produce photochemical effectsisotropy, symmetry(physics) the property of being isotropic; having the same value when measured in different directionsanisotropythe property of being anisotropic; having a different value when measured in different directionscharacteristic, device characteristicany measurable property of a device measured under closely specified conditionsconnectivitythe property of being connected or the degree to which something has connectionsduality, wave-particle duality(physics) the property of matter and electromagnetic radiation that is characterized by the fact that some properties can be explained best by wave theory and others by particle theorybirthrightpersonal characteristics that are inherited at birthbackgrounda person's social heritage, previous experience, or trainingbirthrighta right or privilege that you are entitled to at birthupbringingproperties acquired during a person's formative yearsagehow long something has existedcomposition, constitution, make-up, makeup, physical compositionthe way in which someone or something is composedhardnessa quality of water that contains dissolved mineral salts that prevent soap from latheringimpenetrability, imperviousnessthe quality of being impenetrable (by people or light or missiles etc.)dispositiona natural or acquired habit or characteristic tendency in a person or thingsoapinessthe quality of being soap or being covered with soapopticsoptical propertiesvisual propertyan attribute of visionsound propertyan attribute of soundtaste propertya property appreciated via the sense of tastesaltinessthe property of containing salt (as a compound or in solution)bodily propertyan attribute of the bodyphysical propertyany property used to characterize matter and energy and their interactionschemical propertya property used to characterize materials in reactions that change their identitysustainabilitythe property of being sustainablestrengththe property of being physically or mentally strongconcentrationthe strength of a solution; number of molecules of a substance in a given volumeweaknessthe property of lacking physical or mental strength; liability to failure under pressure or stress or straintemporal propertya property relating to timeviability(of living things) the state of being capable of normal growth and developmentmagnitudethe property of relative size or extent (whether large or small)sizethe property resulting from being one of a series of graduated measurements (as of clothing)extremenessthe quality of being extremeworththe quality that renders something desirable or valuable or usefulconstructivenessthe quality of serving to build or improvedestructivenessthe quality of causing destructionpositiveness, positivism, positivitya quality or state characterized by certainty or acceptance or affirmation and dogmatic assertivenessnegativeness, negativism, negativitycharacterized by habitual skepticism and a disagreeable tendency to deny or oppose or resist suggestions or commandsoccidentalismthe quality or customs or mannerisms characteristic of Western civilizationsorientalismthe quality or customs or mannerisms characteristic of Asian civilizationshydrophobicitythe property of being water-repellent; tending to repel and not absorb waterabilitythe quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishmentanalyticitythe property of being analyticcompositenessthe property of being a composite numberprimalitythe property of being a prime numberselectivitythe property of being selectivedomesticitythe quality of being domestic or domesticatedboundlessness, infiniteness, infinitude, limitlessness, unboundednessthe quality of being infinite; without bound or limitsolubilitythe quality of being soluble and easily dissolved in liquidinsolubilitythe quality of being insoluble and difficult to dissolve in liquidstuffunspecified qualities required to do or be somethinghot stuff, voluptuousnessthe quality of being attractive and exciting (especially sexually exciting)tonethe quality of something (an act or a piece of writing) that reveals the attitudes and presuppositions of the authorrelativitythe quality of being relative and having significance only in relation to something elseresponsivenessthe quality of being responsive; reacting quickly; as a quality of people, it involves responding with emotion to people and eventsdeadness, unresponsivenessthe quality of being unresponsive; not reacting; as a quality of people, it is marked by a failure to respond quickly or with emotion to people or eventssubjectivismthe quality of being subjectivevascularitythe property being vascularextensionthe ability to raise the working leg high in the airsnootinessthe quality of being snootyulterioritythe quality of being ulteriorinsolubility, unsolvabilitythe property (of a problem or difficulty) that makes it impossible to solvememorabilitythe quality of being worth rememberingwaxinessthe quality of being made of wax or covered with waxskillfulnessthe state of being cognitively skillfulmathematical space, topological space(mathematics) any set of points that satisfy a set of postulates of some kindsolida three-dimensional shapenatural shapea shape created by natural forces; not man-madefigurea combination of points and lines and planes that form a visible palpable shapelinea length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving pointround shapea shape that is curved and without sharp anglesamorphous shapean ill-defined or arbitrary shapecirclesomething approximating the shape of a circlesquaresomething approximating the shape of a squaretrianglesomething approximating the shape of a triangleplumeanything that resembles a feather in shape or lightnesscleavagethe state of being split or cleftmediuma state that is intermediate between extremes; a middle positionornamentationthe state of being ornamentedconditiona mode of being or form of existence of a person or thingconditionalitythe state of being conditionalground state(physics) the lowest energy state of an atom or other particlenationhoodthe state of being a nationsituation, state of affairsthe general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given timerelationshipa state of connectedness between people (especially an emotional connection)relationshipa state involving mutual dealings between people or parties or countriestribalismthe state of living together in tribesutopiaideally perfect state; especially in its social and political and moral aspectsdystopiastate in which the conditions of life are extremely bad as from deprivation or oppression or terrorisomerismthe state of being an isomer; the complex of chemical and physical phenomena characteristic of isomersdegree, level, point, stagea specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a processnonbeingthe state of not beingdeaththe absence of life or state of being deadorderestablished customary state (especially of society)disordera disturbance of the peace or of public orderconflicta state of opposition between persons or ideas or interestsilluminationthe degree of visibility of your environmentfreedomthe condition of being free; the power to act, speak, or think without being controlledagency, delegacy, representationthe state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agentdependance, dependence, dependencythe state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something elsemotiona state of changetemporary statea state that continues for a limited timeforthcomingness, imminence, imminency, imminentness, impendence, impendencythe state of being imminent and liable to happen soonpreparation, preparedness, readinessthe state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)flux, state of fluxa state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) preceding the establishment of a new direction of actionkalemiathe presence of excess potassium in the circulating bloodenlargementthe state of being enlargedseparationthe state of lacking unitygrace, saving grace, state of grace(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influenceeternal damnationthe state of being condemned to eternal punishment in Hellomnisciencethe state of being omniscient; having infinite knowledgeomnipotencethe state of having unlimited powerreceivershipthe state of property that is in the hands of a receiverownershipthe state or fact of being an ownerobligationthe state of being obligated to do or pay somethingmerchantabilitythe state of being fit for market; ready to be bought or soldturgor(biology) the normal rigid state of fullness of a cell or blood vessel or capillary resulting from pressure of the contents against the wall or membranehomozygositythe state of being homozygous; having two identical alleles of the same geneheterozygositythe state of being heterozygous; having two different alleles of the same geneneotonythe state resulting when juvenile characteristics are retained by the adults of a speciespluralitythe state of being pluralpolyvalence, polyvalency(toxicology) the state of being capable of counteracting more than one toxin or antigen or kind of microorganismmultivalence, multivalency, polyvalence, polyvalency(chemistry) the state of having a valence greater than twopaternitythe state of being a fathergeologic time, geological timethe time of the physical formation and development of the earth (especially prior to human history)biological timethe time of various biological processescosmic timethe time covered by the physical formation and development of the universecivil time, local time, standard timethe official time in a local region (adjusted for location around the Earth); established by law or customdaylight saving, daylight savings, daylight-saving time, daylight-savings timetime during which clocks are set one hour ahead of local standard time; widely adopted during summer to provide extra daylight in the eveningsnowadays, presentthe period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speechmusical time(music) the beat of musical rhythmcontinuuma continuous nonspatial whole or extent or succession in which no part or portion is distinct or distinguishable from adjacent partsGMT, Greenwich Mean Time, Greenwich Time, UT, UT1, universal timethe local time at the 0 meridian passing through Greenwich, England; it is the same everywhereplateaua stable state or level after a period of progress or activitysurrealitythe quality of being bizarre and dreamlikemalaisea state of dysfunction and stagnation, as of a societytype of:abstract entity, abstractiona general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples
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a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguishedtypes:character, lineament, qualitya characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of somethingfeature, feature of speech(linguistics) a distinctive characteristic of a linguistic unit that serves to distinguish it from other units of the same kindsex character, sex characteristic, sexual characteristicthose characteristics (both anatomical and psychological) that are strongly associated with one sex relative to the othertexturethe essential quality of somethinginvarianta feature (quantity or property or function) that remains unchanged when a particular transformation is applied to itattracter, attraction, attractive feature, attractor, magneta characteristic that provides pleasure and attractsbadgeany feature that is regarded as a sign of status (a particular power or quality or rank)contoura feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structureexternaloutward featuressafety featurefeature of an artifact that is added to insure a user's safetytype of:concept, conception, constructan abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
Definitions of attribute (/əˈtrɪbyut/)
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decide as to where something belongs in a scheme
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attribute or credit to“We attributed this quotation to Shakespeare”imputeattribute (responsibility or fault) to a cause or sourcetypes:imputeattribute (responsibility or fault) to a cause or sourcecreditgive someone credit for somethingreattributeattribute to another sourceinteriorise, interiorize, internalise, internalizeincorporate within oneself; make subjective or personaltype of:
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