contribution

American  

[kon-truh-byoo-shuhn] / ˌkɒn trəˈbju ʃən /

noun

• contributions
  plural

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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• contributions
  plural

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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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contribution contributions

Mr. Baitz’s contribution to the squabbling-clan genre proves to be a durable one—every bit as richly funny, but also steeped in authentic angst, as at its debut in 2011.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Richarlison matches Sturridge for minutes per goal contribution, but with eight fewer the Brazilian, perhaps harshly, misses out.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Results in its integrated power division will reflect the contribution from its electricity production joint venture with Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding, it said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The plaintiffs want Shell to pay for that additional intensity in proportion to its contribution to global emissions: two percent of the 12 percent increase.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

His first significant contribution to science concerned the springiness, or compressibility, of air, and involved the most famous experiment of his illustrious career.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Beginning in 2027, eligible taxpayers will receive federal tax credits for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations, up to $3,400 a year for married couples filing jointly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Secondees' contributions can be incorporated into journalism that scrutinises the current government, as well as all political parties, the BBC responded.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

Moerner received the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pioneering contributions to super-resolution fluorescence microscopy.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

I believe this is fair, given Son #1’s years of service and contributions.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

His contributions are incidental, and never fully his own: a stairwell, a skylight, a corridor, an air-conditioning duct.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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Related Words

• addition
• donation
• grant
• improvement
• increase
• input

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