contributory
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to or of the nature of contribution; contributing.
-
furnishing something toward a result.
a contributory factor.
-
of, relating to, or constituting an insurance or pension plan the premiums of which are paid partly by an employer and partly by employees.
-
subject to contribution or levy.
noun
-
contributories
plural
adjective
-
(often foll by to) sharing in or being partly responsible (for the cause of something)
a contributory factor
-
giving or donating to a common purpose or fund
-
of, relating to, or designating an insurance or pension scheme in which the premiums are paid partly by the employer and partly by the employees who benefit from it
-
liable or subject to a tax or levy
noun
-
a person or thing that contributes
-
company law a member or former member of a company liable to contribute to the assets on the winding-up of the company
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of contributory
1375–1425; late Middle English contributorie < Medieval Latin contribūtōrius. See contribute, -tory 1
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.
See Examples For:
“The intent required for contributory liability can be shown only if the party induced the infringement or the provided service is tailored to that infringement.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
Jim Williams shared that Adam Williams’ official cause of death was atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with obesity as a contributory factor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 27, 2026
Against the backdrop of recent kidnappings, governors and traditional chiefs from 19 northern states recently dubbed illegal mining a "major contributory factor to the security crises".
From Barron's ● Dec. 19, 2025
A jury eventually found Cox liable under two theories, vicarious and contributory liability.
From Slate ● Nov. 28, 2025
Smoking is without doubt a significant contributory cause of cancer, lung and heart disease, but there are confounding factors having to do with life-style and environment which partially obscured this fact for some years.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
Or have the citizens at large, being contributories to the maintenance funds, a right to vote?
From Unitarianism by Tarrant, W.G.
But no man can be truly blessed who has to find many contributories to make up his blessedness.
From Expositions of Holy Scripture: the Acts by Maclaren, Alexander
In looking directly at the discomfort of long-term hospitalized psychiatric patients, I found myself faced with behaviors that resulted possibly from a muddle of many contributories.
From Humanistic Nursing by Paterson, Josephine G.
Tumult and commotion are almost as necessary contributories to the success of the stratagem as is the cable.
From Tropic Days by Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)
Such power is not neutralized by our infirmities; it asserts itself under their limiting conditions and makes them its contributories.
From The Expositor's Bible: Ephesians by Findlay, G. G.
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.
