attribute

/ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/

//ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"attribute" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“attribute” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,997 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,997
frequency rank, English
9
letters
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A characteristic or quality of a thing.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

attribute vs attributed
90% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for attribute
PropertyValue
Headwordattribute
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#9,997
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “attribute” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). attribute lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for attribute is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,997 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for attribute, with forms such as "atribute", "atrtibute", and "attirbute". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "attributed", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin attributus. The correct English form is attribute, spelled A-T-T-R-I-B-U-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A characteristic or quality of a thing.
  2. 2
    An object that is considered typical of someone or some function, in particular as an artistic convention.
  3. 3
    A word that qualifies a noun.
  4. 4
    That which is predicated or affirmed of a subject; a predicate; an accident.
  5. 5
    An option or setting belonging to some object.
  6. 6
    A semantic item with which a method or other code element may be decorated.
  7. 7
    A numeric value representing the colours of part of the screen display.

Etymology

From Latin attributus.

This word in other languages

atributo(Español)attribut(Français)Eigenschaft(Deutsch)atributo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atribute,atrtibute,attirbute,attrbiute,attribbute,attribtue,attribuet,attributte,attriubte,attrribute,tatribute

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of attribute - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atribute1atrtibute2attirbute2attrbiute2attribbute1attribtue2attribuet2attributte1
Edit distance from "attribute"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "attribute"?
"attribute" is spelled A-T-T-R-I-B-U-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/.
What does "attribute" mean?
As a noun, "attribute" means: A characteristic or quality of a thing.
What words are commonly confused with "attribute"?
"attribute" is commonly confused with "attributed". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "attribute"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "attribute" is /ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "attribute"?
From Latin attributus. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “attribute”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-T-T-R-I-B-U-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “attributed” - see the side-by-side comparison. attribute vs attributed
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list