Attributive Meaning
/əˈtɹɪ.bju.tɪv/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjModifying another word, typically a noun, while in the same phrase.
adjAttributing; characterized by attributing; effecting attribution.
Sentence Examples
In Russian, attributive adjectives agree with nouns and pronouns in gender, number and case.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
In grammar, an ____ adjective comes before the noun it modifies, like "red" in "red car".
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In the phrase 'red apple', the word 'red' is used in an ____ way.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Latin attributusbor. English attribute Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English attributive From attribute + -ive.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Since both Attributes and Adjuncts recursively expand N-bar into N-bar, it seems clear that the two have essentially the same function, so that Attributes are simply pronominal Adjuncts (though we shall continue to follow tradition and refer to attributive premodifiers as Attributes rather than Adjuncts)."
— 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational grammar: a first course, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, page 197:
"ATTRIBUTIVE NOUN. A noun that modifies another noun: steel in steel bridge; London in London house."
— 2005, Thomas Burns McArthur, Tom McArthur, Roshan McArthur, Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language:
"Grammatically, three ways of using adjectives can be distinguished: the attributive use, the predicative use and the adverbial use. We will only deal with the attributive and the predicative use here. In the attributive use, the adjective, within an NP, is attached to the head noun, e.g. a dubious company, a red balloon, the stupid driver."
— 2013, Sebastian Loebner, Understanding Semantics:
"To hate, &c.] Or thus, To be affected with hatred and horrour at. For abhor, though arranged in our dictionaries among verbs active, attributes an affection rather than an act of the mind. As the mind however is an active principle, all verbs attributive of what passes in the mind, even those we call neuter, attribute at the same time some mental act or operation. To grieve is reckoned a verb neuter; yet in grieving at some misfortune, the mind is not less active than it is in abhorring or loathing an object; which latter verbs are called verbs active."
— 1806, Benjamin Dawson, Philologia Anglicana: or, a Philological and synonymical dictionary of the English language ["A-Adornment"], page 36:
"* 947 आल and आट put after वाक् Speech, with it form adjectives attributive of much bad or improper speaking; as वाचाल, or वाचाट Who utters much bad language.
* 948 […] affixed to nouns, with them form adjectives attributive of detraction,[…]"
— 1808, Charles Wilkins, A Grammar of the Sanskrita Language, page 516:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
In grammar, an ____ adjective comes before the noun it modifies, like "red" in "red car".
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In the phrase 'red apple', the word 'red' is used in an ____ way.