ascription

UK: /əˈskrɪpʃən/ US: /əˈskrɪpʃən/ ,(ə skrip′shən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

as•crip•tion  (ə skrip′shən), n. 

1. the act of ascribing.
2. a statement ascribing something, esp. praise to the Deity.

Also, adscription. 

• Latin ascrīptiōn- (stem of ascrīptiō) a written addition. See a-⁵, script, -ion
• 1590–1600

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ascription / əˈskrɪpʃən/, adscription / ədˈskrɪpʃən/ noun

1. the act of ascribing
2. a statement ascribing something to someone, esp praise to God

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin ascrīptiō, from ascrībere to ascribe

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

as•cribe /əˈskraɪb/   v. [~ + object + to + object] , -cribed, -crib•ing. 

1. to believe or consider (something or someone) to be the cause or source of (something):
   She ascribed her failures to bad luck.
2. to believe that (something) was made or done by (someone):
   ascribed this painting to Picasso.

as•crip•tion /əˈskrɪpʃən/  n. [uncountable] See -scrib-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

as•cribe  (ə skrīb′), v.t., -cribed, -crib•ing. 

1. to credit or assign, as to a cause or source;
   attribute;
   impute:
   The alphabet is usually ascribed to the Phoenicians.
2. to attribute or think of as belonging, as a quality or characteristic:
   They ascribed courage to me for something I did out of sheer panic.

• Middle French. See shrive
• Latin ascrībere, equivalent. to a- a-⁵ + scrībere to scribe²; replacing Middle English ascrive
• late Middle English 1400–50

a•scrib′a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. See attribute.