impute
UK[ɪmˈpjuːt]US[ɪmˈpjuːt]
v
To say that someone is responsible for something that has happened, especially something bad, or that something is the cause of something else.
v
To attribute (a fault, crime, or responsibility) to someone.
Morpheme Breakdown
im
pute
im
in
pute
think, reckon
Etymology
The word 'impute' entered English in the 14th century from the Old French 'imputer', which itself was derived from the Latin 'imputare'. The Latin verb is a compound of the prefix 'in-', meaning 'in, into, on', and 'putare', which originally meant 'to prune, to clean' but evolved to signify 'to reckon, to consider, to think'. This semantic shift from a physical act of clearing to a mental act of calculation is evident in related words like 'compute' and 'reputation'. The core logic of 'impute' is therefore to 'reckon onto' or 'attribute to', carrying the sense of assigning a value, quality, or responsibility to a person or thing as if settling an account. Its specialized use in theological contexts, to attribute righteousness or guilt, and in legal/financial contexts, to assign blame or cost, flows directly from this foundational meaning of calculated attribution.
Analysis
Structure: im (in) + pute (think, reckon)
im: A prefix of Latin origin, a form of 'in-' meaning 'in, into, on, toward'. In this context, it conveys the sense of 'onto' or 'toward'.
pute: A root of Latin origin, from 'putare', meaning 'to think, consider, reckon, or clear up (as in accounts)'.
Examples
The court refused to impute criminal liability to the company's directors for the actions of a rogue employee.
He imputed his team's failure to a lack of proper preparation and communication.
In accounting, bad debts can be imputed as a loss for the fiscal year.