contributory

C3O1N1T1R1I1B3U1T1O1R1Y4
UK/ˈkɒntɹɪˌbjuːt(ə)ɹi/UK/kənˈtɹɪbjʊt(ə)ɹi/UK/kənˈtɹɪbjət(ə)ɹi/US/ˈkɑntɹɪbjəˌtɔɹi/

adjective

Of, pertaining to, or involving a contribution.

Less commonScrabble 19

Meanings

adjectivecontributory (comparative more contributory, superlative most contributory)

comparative more contributory · superlative most contributory

  1. Of, pertaining to, or involving a contribution.
  2. Tending to contribute to a result.
  3. obsoletePaying tribute, tributary.

    My Lord the great Commander of the worlde, Besides fifteene contributory kings, Hath now in armes ten thouſand Ianiſaries, Mounted on luſty Mauritanian Steeds, […]

    c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii
nouncontributory (plural contributories)

plural contributories

  1. A person or thing that contributes.
    1 more example

    The response to firing is remarkable, and though the 280 lb. pressure seems more in the nature of a reserve for emergencies than a continuous working figure, even with the present-day apology for coal it seldom fell below 250 lb., and could always be brought up to blowing-off point with little difficulty. To this liveliness of steaming the thermic syphons are doubtless the chief contributory.

    1947 January and February, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 39

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivetending to bring about; being partly responsible for

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishcontributarie
  2. Englishcontributory

From earlier contributary, from Middle English contributarie, from con- + tributarie after Middle French contributaire.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Norwegian Bokmål medvirkende
  • medvirkendecontributing to a result
Russian способствующий, сотрудничающий
  • способствующий (sposobstvujuščij)contributing to a result
  • сотрудничающий (sotrudničajuščij)contributing to a result
  • содействующий (sodejstvujuščij)contributing to a result
Cite this entry
APA

contributory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contributory

MLA

“contributory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contributory. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “contributory,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contributory.

Source: contributory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.