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Showing results for contribution. Search instead for contributing units.
Synonyms

contribution

American  
[kon-truh-byoo-shuhn] / ˌkɒn trəˈbyu ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of contributing.

  2. something contributed.

    Synonyms:
    benefaction, donation, gift
  3. an article, story, drawing, etc., furnished to a magazine or other publication.

  4. an impost or levy.

  5. Insurance. the method of distributing liability, in case of loss, among several insurers whose policies attach to the same risk.


contribution British  
/ ˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃən /

noun

  1. the act of contributing

  2. something contributed, such as money or ideas

  3. an article, story, etc, contributed to a newspaper or other publication

  4. 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

  5. archaic a levy, esp towards the cost of a war

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • contributional adjective
  • noncontribution noun
  • overcontribution noun
  • precontribution noun
  • supercontribution noun

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; contribute ) + -iō -ion

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.

The plays of O’Neill, Miller and Williams continue to be performed worldwide, but the most significant contribution America made to global theater is the musical.

From The Wall Street Journal

Leisure services including entertainment costs, sports and leisure fees and off-island holidays made the largest contribution to the annual rate of inflation, said Statistics Jersey.

From BBC

"Decisions not to honour assessed contributions that finance a significant share of the approved regular budget have now been formally announced," the secretary general wrote, without naming specific members.

From BBC

Parr, though aware of his own contribution to global carbon emissions through his travel, had been stressing in interviews for years that humans were "heading for disaster," Bajac added.

From Barron's

Additional pre-tax contributions of up to $5,000 a year are allowed but not required, and a parent is the custodian of the account until the child turns 18.

From Los Angeles Times