attribution
noun
at·tri·bu·tion
ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən 
plural attributions
1
: the act of attributing something
especially
: the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist
2
: an ascribed quality, character, or right
Supernatural powers were attributions of the gods.
3
psychology
: the interpretive process by which people make judgments about the causes of their own behavior and the behavior of others
Psychologists have long documented what they call the fundamental attribution error, the tendency for people to explain human behavior in terms of the traits of individual actors, even when powerful situational forces are at work.—
Erica Goode
Erica GoodeSynonyms
Examples of attribution in a Sentence
a genuine respect for one another is one of the most commonly cited attributions of a happily married couple
Recent Examples on the Web
After some back and forth, the trio convinced themselves that reporters had heard Biden use the language before—with attribution—and would give him the benefit of the doubt.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 24 June 2024
The attribution team used both current and past temperature measurements, contrasting what's happening to what occurred in past heat waves.
—CBS News, 20 June 2024
OpenAI, in turn, will give Stack Overflow attribution — aka link to its contents — in ChatGPT.
—Emilia David, The Verge, 6 May 2024
Under their proposals, state agencies would use attribution science to tally up the damages caused by climate change and identify the companies responsible.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attribution 
Philip Elliott, TIME, 24 June 2024
The attribution team used both current and past temperature measurements, contrasting what's happening to what occurred in past heat waves.
—CBS News, 20 June 2024
OpenAI, in turn, will give Stack Overflow attribution — aka link to its contents — in ChatGPT.
—Emilia David, The Verge, 6 May 2024
Under their proposals, state agencies would use attribution science to tally up the damages caused by climate change and identify the companies responsible.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attribution
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attribution.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near attribution
Cite this Entry
“Attribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attribution. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
attribution
noun
at·tri·bu·tion
ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən
: a rule in tax law that in certain cases deems property owned by one person or business entity to be owned by another or others
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