Definition of "attribute"

attribute

/ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/

noun
plural attributes
1. A characteristic or quality of a thing.
2. An object that is considered typical of someone or some function, in particular as an artistic convention.
3. (grammar) A word that qualifies a noun.
4. (logic) That which is predicated or affirmed of a subject; a predicate; an accident.
5. (computing, object-oriented programming) An option or setting belonging to some object.
6. (programming) A semantic item with which a method or other code element may be decorated.
  Quotations
  This attribute is used to declare in metadata that the attributed method or class requires SocketPermission of the declared form.
  2003, Peter Drayton, Ben Albahari, Ted Neward, C# in a Nutshell, page 536
7. (computer graphics, dated) A numeric value representing the colours of part of the screen display.
  Quotations
  […] you can only carry two objects, your attributes clash when you walk past multi-coloured objects and your enemies fly up and down from the ceiling.
  1987, Marcus Berkmann, Sceptre Of Bagdad (video game review) in Your Sinclair issue 17
  If any of the video buffer's background attribute bits are on, MONO converts the attribute to 70h (inverse video).
  1989, PC: The Independent Guide to IBM Personal Computers
verb
third-person singular simple present attributes, present participle attributing, simple past and past participle attributed
1. To ascribe (something) to a given cause, reason etc.
  Quotations
  For as this is the liquor of modern historians, nay, perhaps their muse, if we may believe the opinion of Butler, who attributes inspiration to ale, it ought likewise to be the potation of their readers, since every book ought to be read with the same spirit and in the same manner as it is writ.
  1749, Henry Fielding, chapter I, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], book IV
2. To associate ownership or authorship of (something) to someone.
  Quotations
  We attribute nothing to God that hath any repugnancy or contradiction in it.
  1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: , published 1720
  It is to be recouered, but that the merit of ſeruice is ſeldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would haue that drumme or another, or hic iacet.
  c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene vi], page 244, column 1
  Hākim's atypical actions should not be attributed to Islam as much as to insanity, which eventually led him to proclaim himself as Allah, whereupon he was murdered by outraged fellow Muslims.
  2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 278

Definition of "attribute"

attribute

noun

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verb

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