What does "attribute" mean?
Attribute: That which is attributed; a quality which is considered as belonging to, or inherent in, a person or thing; an essential or necessary property or characteristic. But mercy is above this sceptered away; . . . It is an attribute to God himself. Shak.
Additional senses
- 2.Reputation. [Poetic] Shak.
- 3.(Paint. & Sculp.) A conventional symbol of office, character, or identity, added to any particular figure; as, a club is the attribute of Hercules.
- 4.(Gram.) Quality, etc., denoted by an attributive; an attributive adjunct or adjective.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00