Contributions

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌkɑntɹɪˈbjuʃənz/

Definitions

1. The act of giving money, resources, or efforts to support a project or cause can greatly aid in achieving shared objectives or benefits for a group
2. Resources or services offered to a collective endeavor are essential for reaching common goals, particularly in charitable contexts
3. Amounts of money, goods, or time given to help or support organizations, projects, or causes

Etymology: "Contributions" is simply the plural of "contribution," so its story is the story of that noun. The root is the Latin verb "contribuere," meaning to bring together or assign to a common fund, built from "com-" (together) and "tribuere" (to allot or bestow). The noun "contributio" came from it, passed into Old French as "contribution," and reached English in Middle English as "contribucioun." The Latin "tribuere" is also the source of "tribute" and "attribute," which share the sense of giving or assigning something to someone. A contribution, in other words, is something handed over to be shared among a group, and that original idea of pooling still shows in the word's modern meaning of supporting a common project.

Synonyms: donations, gifts, offerings, inputs, subscriptions

Antonyms: withdrawals, removals, deprivations, cessations, losses