Definition of attributive in English:



  • (of an adjective or noun) preceding the word it qualifies or modifies and expressing an attribute, as old in the old dog (but not in the dog is old) and expiration in expiration date (but not in date of expiration)

    Contrasted with predicative
    • ‘‘Fast’ and ‘big’ are what Geach has called attributive adjectives; ‘brown’ is called a predicative adjective.’
    • ‘In his introduction to the book, the 6th word is an attributive adjective.’
    • ‘When we use the expression a London Fog raincoat, we use London Fog as an attributive modifier of the noun raincoat.’


Mid 18th century (as a noun in the sense ‘a word expressing an attribute’): from French attributif, -ive, from attribut ‘an attribute’, from Latin attribuere ‘add to’ (see attribute).