Definition of "attribute" in English

noun

1. A characteristic or quality of a thing.

   • His finest attribute is his kindness.

2. An object that is considered typical of someone or some function, in particular as an artistic convention.

   • The eagle and the bolt of lightning are attributes of Jove.

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.

   • This packet has its coherency attribute set to zero.
   • A file with the read-only attribute set cannot be overwritten.

6. (programming) A semantic item with which a method or other code element may be decorated.

   • Properties can be marked as obsolete with an attribute, which will cause the compiler to generate a warning if they are used.

7. (computer graphics, dated) A numeric value representing the colours of part of the screen display.

   • […] 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.

verb

1. (transitive) To ascribe (something) to a given cause, reason etc.; to affix.

2. (transitive) To associate ownership or authorship of (something) to someone.

   • This poem is attributed to Browning.