misattribution

noun

mis·​at·​tri·​bu·​tion ˌmis-ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən How to pronounce misattribution (audio)
plural misattributions
: an incorrect attribution (as for a piece of artwork)
For decades this portrait had suffered one misattribution after another. More recently the artist had been listed as unknown.— James G. Barber

Examples of misattribution in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Elite institutions, of course, are incentivized to promote and embed these views, which leads to a pervasive misattribution about the nature of executive success. — Dave Winsborough, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 Safra also accuses the house of misattributions that drastically slashed the value of key works. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misattribution was in 1865

Rhymes for misattribution

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Browse Nearby Words

misattribute
misattribution
misbalance
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Cite this Entry

“Misattribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misattribution. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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