'attributor' originates from Latin via Medieval/Modern French and English, specifically from the Latin verb 'attribuere' (from 'ad-' + 'tribuere'), where 'ad-' meant 'to, toward' and 'tribuere' meant 'to give or grant'.

'attribuere' (Latin) passed into Old/Middle French as 'attribuer' and into Middle English as 'attribute'; the agentive suffix '-or' was added in English to form 'attributor' meaning 'one who attributes'.

Initially related to the action 'to give or assign' (in Latin 'to give toward'), over time it evolved into meanings focused on 'assigning credit, cause, or properties' and later extended to technical senses such as adding attributes/metadata.