Added 9 October 2026
tribute
/ˈtɹɪbjuːt/ noun
In Latin: tribūtum Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tribute at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Something given or done as an expression of esteem.
- Payment by one nation for protection by another.
-
Payment extorted by gangsters on threat of violence.
every store in the neighborhood had to pay him protection
Origin
PIE word *tréyes From Middle English tribut (14th c.), from Middle French tribut, from Latin tributum (“tribute”, literally “a thing contributed or paid”), past participle of tribuere (“to assign, allot”), usually derived from tribus (“tribe”, which see).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)