late 15c., "action of bestowing or assigning," from Latin attributionem (nominative attributio) "an assignment, attribution," noun of action from past-participle stem of attribuere "assign, allot; ascribe, impute," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tribuere "assign, give, bestow" (see tribute). The meaning "thing attributed" is recorded from 1580s.

"attribution (of a work of art or literature) to the wrong person," 1865, from mis- (1) "bad, wrong" + attribution. Related: Misattribute; misattributed; misattributing.

also sexualisation, 1872, "attribution of sex or sexuality to a person or thing," noun of action from sexualize.

also personalisation, "attribution of personal qualities to that which is impersonal," 1849, from personalize + noun ending -ation.

name of the British royal family from 1603 to 1668; see steward. Attested from 1873 as an attribution for styles from that period.

also mis-ascription, "a false or erroneous attribution of authorship or origin," by 1876, from mis- (1) "bad, wrong" + ascription. Related: Misascribe; misascribed.

1880, coined 1878 by German cytologist Eduard Strasburger (1844-1912), the widespread attribution to William Bateson being apparently erroneous; from Greek zygotos "yoked," from zygon "yoke" (from PIE root *yeug- "to join").

1806, "involving the attribution of human qualities to divine beings," from anthropomorphous + -ic. Originally in reference to regarding God or gods as having human form and human characteristics; of animals, plants, nature, etc. by 1858. Related: Anthropomorphical.

"pertaining to or having the character of attribution;" in grammar, "pertaining to or expressing an attribute," c. 1600, from French attributif, from stem of Latin attributus (see attribute (v.)). As a noun in grammar, "a word expressing an attribute," from 1750. Related: Attributively; attributiveness.

1590s, "action of adding in writing;" c. 1600, "attribution of authorship or origin," from Latin ascriptionem (nominative ascriptio) "an addition in writing," noun of action from past-participle stem of ascribere "to write in, add to in a writing; impute, attribute," from ad "to" (see ad-) + scribere "to write" (from PIE root *skribh- "to cut").