Lightning is one of the attributes of Zeus.
Before entering fully into the definition of the term attribute, it is necessary to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Latin, exactly from "attributus" which comes from the verb "attribuere", which can be translated as "attribute."
The first meaning mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to the properties , characteristics or qualities of something.
For example: "The beach is the most important tourist attribute of this region" , "Analysts affirm that the key attribute of this economic crisis is the fiscal deficit" , "Empathy is an attribute of the human being that no one should lose" .
Attributes in mythology
In the same way, we cannot forget that this word at hand is very important within mythology. And the usual thing is that each of the gods is represented with one or several objects or elements in allusion to their essence or role. A good example of this can be found in Greek mythology:
-Zeus, the supreme god, has the lightning bolt and the scepter as attributes.
-Apollo, the god of the Sun, light and arts, is identified with the sun and the lyre, among other elements.
-Poseidon, the god of the sea, has a trident as an attribute.
-Athena, the goddess of war, has several attributes, among which is the helmet.
-Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, is identified with the attribute of ears.
-Hermes, the messenger god of the gods, is associated with the attribute of winged sandals.
Sensual areas or parts of the body are usually mentioned as attributes.
Sensual parts of the body
In colloquial language, the notion is usually used in the plural with reference to the parts of the body linked to sensuality : "The model showed off her assets in a daring photo shoot," "The young man showed off his assets on the beach," "In In the middle of the concert, the singer's dress tore and left her assets exposed .
Exactly, at a colloquial and even vulgar level, the term attribute is used with a certain sexual connotation. Specifically, in some places in the world it is used to refer to the size of the male's viral member. Thus, it is said, for example, "Manuel had a good attribute."
Attribute in grammar and computing
The idea of attribute also appears in the field of grammar . This is the function that phrases - generally non-verbal - develop in syntax when they are predicates of what is indicated through a sentential or nominal segment.
An attribute, in this sense, is a syntactic constituent that allows the expression of some quality of a complement, a preposition, a substantive verb or a noun . In the sentence "John is sad" , the attribute is "sad" .
In the field of computing , finally, the specification that details the ownership of a file is called an attribute. In the HTML markup language, for example, there are tags that have attributes, providing information about sizes, names, etc.