attributive

[ uh-trib-yuh-tiv ]
/ əˈtrɪb yə tɪv /

adjective

pertaining to or having the character of attribution or an attribute.
Grammar. of or relating to an adjective or noun that is directly adjacent to, in English usually preceding, the noun it modifies, without any intervening linking verb, as the adjective sunny in a sunny day or the noun television in a television screen.

noun

Grammar. an attributive word, especially an adjective.

Origin of attributive

First recorded in 1600–10

OTHER WORDS FROM attributive

Words nearby attributive

Example sentences from the Web for attributive

British Dictionary definitions for attributive

attributive
/ (əˈtrɪbjʊtɪv) /

adjective

relating to an attribute
grammar (of an adjective or adjectival phrase) modifying a noun and constituting part of the same noun phrase, in English normally preceding the noun, as black in Fido is a black dog (as opposed to Fido is black) Compare predicative
philosophy relative to an understood domain, as small in that elephant is small

noun

an attributive adjective

Derived forms of attributive

attributively, adverb attributiveness, noun