attribution

英[,ætrɪ'bjuːʃən] 美[,ætrə'bjʊʃən]

1. assigning some quality or character to a person or thing;

"the attribution of language to birds"

"the ascription to me of honors I had not earned"

2. assigning to a cause or source;

"the attribution of lighting to an expression of God's wrath"

"he questioned the attribution of the painting to Picasso"