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to regard as resulting from a specified cause; consider as caused by something indicated (usually followed by to):
She attributed his bad temper to ill health.
to consider as a quality or characteristic of the person, thing, group, etc., indicated:
He attributed intelligence to his colleagues.
to consider as made by the one indicated, especially with strong evidence but in the absence of conclusive proof:
to attribute a painting to an artist.
to regard as produced by or originating in the time, period, place, etc., indicated; credit; assign:
to attribute a work to a particular period; to attribute a discovery to a particular country.
something attributed as belonging to a person, thing, group, etc.; a quality, character, characteristic, or property:
Sensitivity is one of his attributes.
something used as a symbol of a particular person, office, or status:
A scepter is one of the attributes of a king.
Grammar. a word or phrase that is syntactically subordinate to another and serves to limit, identify, particularize, describe, or supplement the meaning of the form with which it is in construction. In the red house, red is an attribute of house.
Fine Arts. an object associated with or symbolic of a character, office, or quality, as the keys of St. Peter or the lion skin of Hercules.
Philosophy. (in the philosophy of Spinoza) any of the essential qualifications of God, thought and extension being the only ones known.
Compare 1 (def 4b).
Logic. (in a proposition) that which is affirmed or denied concerning the subject.
Obsolete. distinguished character; reputation.
Contemporary Examples

At least half of an apocryphal story known as the Ascension of Isaiah can be attributed to Christian editors.
Jesus Christ, Baby Daddy? Candida Moss November 11, 2014

The Daily Beast has removed the paragraph and attributed the phrase, and regrets the error.
The Terrorists’ Secret Weapon Gerald Posner December 29, 2009

Some local media also attributed claims of responsibility to Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis.
Iraq’s Biggest Killer Hits Cairo Jesse Rosenfeld April 2, 2014

Nor can the hardening of positions in Israel can be attributed to Israeli insecurity.
Reading Lustick Carefully Jerry Haber September 19, 2013

Talk show host Stephanie Miller attributed the extended coverage to his insincere apology and the loss of several advertisers.
Sunday Talk Videos: Game Change, Newt Gingrich & More The Daily Beast Video March 10, 2012

Historical Examples

The unmerited are to be attributed to the indistinctness of my rapid penmanship.
The Popham Colony William Frederick Poole

The breaking of Hope’s engagement to Philip was attributed to every cause but the true one.
Malbone Thomas Wentworth Higginson

She attributed them to jealousy and envy, and strenuously defended his name.
Cecil Rhodes Princess Catherine Radziwill

(a) To what may the high food value of potatoes be attributed?
Woman’s Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2 Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

It may be said to Lauries credit that he was entirely innocent of the crimes she attributed to him.
Marjorie Dean High School Senior Pauline Lester

verb (əˈtrɪbjuːt)
(transitive) usually foll by to. to regard as belonging (to), produced (by), or resulting (from); ascribe (to): to attribute a painting to Picasso
noun (ˈætrɪˌbjuːt)
a property, quality, or feature belonging to or representative of a person or thing
an object accepted as belonging to a particular office or position
(grammar)

an adjective or adjectival phrase
an attributive adjective

(logic) the property, quality, or feature that is affirmed or denied concerning the subject of a proposition
v.

late 14c., “assign, bestow,” from Latin attributus, past participle of attribuere “assign to, add, bestow;” figuratively “to attribute, ascribe, impute,” from ad- “to” + tribuere “assign, give, bestow” (see tribute). Related: Attributed; attributing.
n.

“quality ascribed to someone,” late 14c., from Latin attributum “anything attributed,” noun use of neuter of attributus (see attribute (v.)). Distinguished from the verb by pronunciation.