attribute
/ˈæt.rɪ.bjuːt/A quality, feature, or characteristic that belongs to or is typical of a person or thing. It is often used to describe something notable or valued about someone or something.
- Patience is an essential attribute of a good teacher.
- Strong communication is a valued attribute in any workplace.
- Creativity is one of the most admired attributes in that field.
To say or believe that something was caused by, made by, or belongs to a particular person or thing. Note: as a verb, 'attribute' is pronounced /əˈtrɪb.juːt/, with the stress on the second syllable.
- She attributed her exam success to consistent daily study.
- The discovery is attributed to a scientist from Mumbai.
- Experts attribute the rise in cases to poor ventilation.
Adinary Nuance
In academic and IELTS writing, "attribute" and "characteristic" are the most formal choices — both work well in essays about people, organizations, or concepts. "Trait" is narrower: it is almost always used for personality or inherited qualities ("personality traits," "genetic traits"), so avoid it when describing skills or professional qualities. "Quality" is the most versatile and everyday of the group — native speakers use it in both casual and formal speech without sounding odd. "Feature" belongs to physical or structural descriptions ("a feature of the landscape," "product features") and sounds unnatural when applied to a person's character. When writing for IELTS Task 2 or academic reports, "attribute" or "characteristic" will consistently sound more precise and mature than "quality" or "feature."
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đặc điểm / quy cho
- Spanish
- atributo / atribuir
- Chinese
- 属性 / 归因于
- Japanese
- 属性 / 帰する
- Korean
- 속성 / ~에 기인하다
Etymology
From Latin "attributum," the past participle of "attribuere" (to assign or bestow), formed from "ad-" (to) and "tribuere" (to give). The word entered English in the late 15th century, first as a verb, with the noun sense following shortly after.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'attribute' formal or informal?
- 'Attribute' is a formal word. It fits well in academic essays, IELTS writing, professional emails, and reports. In casual everyday speech, most people would say 'quality' or 'feature' instead.
- What is the difference between 'attribute' and 'trait'?
- 'Trait' is almost always used for personality or inherited qualities — like 'honesty is a key personality trait.' 'Attribute' is broader and works for skills, qualities, and features of things too, making it a safer choice in academic writing.
- How do I use 'attribute' as a verb correctly?
- Use the pattern 'attribute [something] to [someone/something].' For example: 'Researchers attribute the improvement to better policies.' Note that the verb form has a different stress: /əˈtrɪb.juːt/.
- Is 'attribute' a good word for IELTS essays?
- Yes, it is an excellent word for IELTS Task 1 and Task 2. Both the noun ('a key attribute of successful leaders') and the verb ('the increase can be attributed to…') are very common in high-scoring academic writing.