ascribe
UK: əˈskraɪb | US: əˈskraɪb
vt. to attribute or assign (a cause, quality, or authorship) to something or someone
vt. to regard as belonging or originating from a specific source
The word "ascribe" originates from Latin "ascribere," combining "ad-" (toward) and "scribere" (to write). It originally referred to the act of writing something down as belonging to someone, later evolving metaphorically to mean assigning qualities or origins. The morphemes reflect the literal action of "writing toward" a source, which aligns with its modern sense of attribution.
Historians ascribe the invention of the printing press to Gutenberg.
She ascribed her success to hard work and perseverance.
The poem was wrongly ascribed to an anonymous medieval author.
Many cultures ascribe spiritual significance to natural phenomena.
Critics ascribe the film’s flaws to poor scriptwriting.