contribution
UK[ˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃən]US[ˌkɑːntrɪˈbjuːʃən]
n
The act of giving something, especially money or time, to help achieve or provide something.
n
Something that you give or do to help make something successful.
n
A piece of writing or other work that is published as part of a larger work, like a magazine or book.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
tribut
ion
con
together
tribut
give, grant
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'contribution' is built upon the Latin verb 'tribuere', meaning 'to grant' or 'to allot'. This verb itself is thought to derive from 'tribus', referring to one of the three political divisions of the early Roman people, implying a distribution among the tribes. The prefix 'con-' intensifies the action, giving the sense of 'giving together' or 'pooling resources'. Over time, the meaning evolved from the literal act of giving a share, especially in a collective context like taxes or offerings, to encompass any act of giving or providing something (money, effort, ideas) towards a common purpose, formalized by the noun-forming suffix '-ion'.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + tribut (give, grant) + ion (noun suffix)
con: Latin prefix meaning 'together', 'with', or 'completely'. It assimilates from 'com-' before certain consonants.
tribut: From Latin 'tribuere', meaning 'to grant', 'to give', or 'to assign'. It is a direct substring of the English spelling.
ion: A Latin-derived suffix forming nouns indicating an action, process, or result.
Examples
She made a significant financial contribution to the charity.
His research was a major contribution to the field of medicine.
The magazine welcomes contributions from freelance writers.