contribution
Americannoun
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the act of contributing.
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something contributed.
- Synonyms:
- benefaction, donation, gift
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an article, story, drawing, etc., furnished to a magazine or other publication.
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an impost or levy.
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Insurance. the method of distributing liability, in case of loss, among several insurers whose policies attach to the same risk.
noun
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the act of contributing
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something contributed, such as money or ideas
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an article, story, etc, contributed to a newspaper or other publication
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insurance a portion of the total liability incumbent on each of two or more companies for a risk with respect to which all of them have issued policies
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archaic a levy, esp towards the cost of a war
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of contribution
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English contribucio(u)n, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin contribūtiōn-, stem of contribūtiō “payment, distribution,” literally, “a bringing together,” equivalent to contribūt(us) “brought together” (past participle of contribuere; see contribute) + -iō -ion
Explanation
When you make a contribution, it means you're giving something away — whether it's your money, your possessions, or your time. A contribution can take many forms. Some contributions are measurable, like a $10 donation to the Salvation Army. Others are less tangible. When a student raises his hand in class to ask a question, he's making a contribution, because the answer to his question enriches the other students' learning experience.
Vocabulary lists containing contribution
Giving Words
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Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 21-30
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Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bowen said the breakaway conference in Santa Marta was "a positive contribution" -- but did not say how their concerns might be incorporated into a final negotiated outcome.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
XPeng’s management expects overseas revenue contribution to exceed 20% from 2Q, supported by the start of P7+ deliveries abroad, he adds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
“What is my contribution to the game going to be? I want to make a contribution.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
To give some impression of how meaningful these numbers could be, the JPMorgan team assesses the wealth contribution from share price appreciation to reach the equivalent of 1.6% of GDP.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
The paper printed grainy headshots of people looking distinguished—like they were already thinking about their next outstanding contribution to the life and culture of the town.
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
