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.
“It’s going to materially affect this group of people,” said Matthew Petersen, executive director of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026
Contribution levels phase out for singles with adjusted gross income of $153,000 or more, or $242,000 for couples.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 29, 2025
Studying for his master’s degree in education, Hill devised what became his de facto thesis: the Team Contribution Index.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2025
This agreement, known as the Double Contribution Convention, designed to ensure social security contributions are not made in more than one country, was one of the elements India had pushed for during negotiations.
From BBC • May 6, 2025
Pycraft, “A Contribution towards our Knowledge of the Pterytography of the Megapodii,” Report Willey’s Zoological Results, pt. iv.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2 "Fairbanks, Erastus" to "Fens" by Various
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.
