Ascribe
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /əˈskraɪb/
Origin
From Old French ascrivre ("inscribe, attribute, impute"), from Latin ÄscrÄ«bÅ, from ad ("to") + scrÄ«bÅ ("write"), from Proto-Indo-European *skrep-, *skreb- ("to engrave"). Cognate with Old English screpan ("to scrape, scratch").
Full definition of ascribe
Verb
- (transitive) To attribute a cause or characteristic to someone or something.One may ascribe these problems to the federal government; however, at this stage it is unclear what caused them.
- (transitive) To attribute a book, painting or any work of art or literature to a writer or creator.It is arguable as to whether we can truly ascribe this play to Shakespeare.