Attributability

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or state of being capable of something being ascribed or assigned as a cause, origin, or source to a particular person, thing, or condition
2. The condition in which an action, characteristic, or statement can be properly linked or credited to a specific individual or entity
3. The ability to establish a connection or responsibility of a certain effect, property, or statement to its rightful origin or agent

Etymology: Attributability is a plain formation: it combines "attribute" with the suffix "-ability," which turns an adjective into a noun meaning the quality of being capable of the action or condition the adjective names. Here the base is the verb "attribute," so the noun names the quality of being attributable, that is, of being capable of being assigned or traced back to a source or cause. The word "attribute" itself comes from Latin "attribuere," meaning to assign or allot to, while "-ability" comes through French from Latin "-abilitas." The usual use is in discussion of origins, authorship, and responsibility: a claim's attributability is how easily it can be credited to a particular person, group, or event. Because "attributable" is the adjective it rests on, the noun is best understood as a shorthand for that quality rather than a separate idea.

Synonyms: attribution