ascription
|a-scrip-tion|
/əˈskrɪpʃən/
assigning or attributing
Etymology
'ascription' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'ascribere' (past participle 'ascriptus'), where the prefix 'ad-' (often assimilated to 'as-') meant 'to/toward' and 'scribere' meant 'to write'.
'ascribere' passed into Medieval Latin as 'ascriptio'/'ascript-' and then into Middle English as 'ascription', producing the modern English noun 'ascription'.
Initially it could refer to writing down, enrolling, or attaching (literally 'writing to' or 'adding to a list'); over time the sense shifted toward 'attributing' or 'assigning (a cause, quality, or authorship)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act of attributing or assigning something (such as a quality, cause, or authorship) to a person or thing.
The ascription of the painting to a 19th-century master was later questioned.
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Noun 2
a designation or label given to someone or something; in sociology, the assignment of a status (often by others or by birth) rather than achieved status.
In the study, the researchers examined how ascription of social roles affected life opportunities.
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Last updated: 2025/10/27 08:40