The act of contributing. [1913 Webster]
That which is contributed; -- either the portion which an individual furnishes to the common stock, or the whole which is formed by the gifts of individuals. [1913 Webster]
"A certain contribution for the poor saints which are at jerusalem." [1913 Webster]

"Aristotle's actual contributions to the physical sciences." [1913 Webster]
An irregular and arbitrary imposition or tax leved on the people of a town or country. [1913 Webster]
"These sums, . . . and the forced contributions paid by luckless peasants, enabled him to keep his straggling troops together." [1913 Webster]
Payment, by each of several jointly liable, of a share in a loss suffered or an amount paid by one of their number for the common benefit. [1913 Webster]

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

contribution, n.
1 the act of contributing.
2 something contributed, esp. money.
3 an article etc. contributed to a publication.

Etymology

ME f. OF contribution or LL contributio (as CONTRIBUTE)

top

THESAURUS

contribution

accommodation, accordance, alms, alms fee, assessment, association, award, awarding, benefaction, beneficence, bestowal, bestowment, blackmail, call, call for, cess, chanty, charity, claim, cochairmanship, collection, communication, complicity, concession, condominium, conferment, conferral, conscience money, copartnership, copartnery, cotenancy, deliverance, delivery, demand, demand for, direct tax, dole, donation, donative, draft, drain, duty, endowment, engagement, exaction, extortion, extortionate demand, furnishment, gifting, giving, graduated taxation, grant, granting, handout, having a part, heavy demand, impartation, impartment, imposition, impost, indent, indirect tax, insistent demand, investiture, involvement, joint chairmanship, joint control, joint ownership, joint return, joint tenancy, levy, liberality, nonnegotiable demand, notice, offer, offering, offertory, order, partaking, participation, partnership, pittance, presentation, presentment, progressive tax, provision, requirement, requisition, rush, rush order, separate returns, sharing, single tax, subscription, suffrage, supertax, supplying, surrender, surtax, tax, tax base, tax dodging, tax evasion, tax exemption, tax return, tax structure, tax withholding, tax-exempt status, taxable income, taxation, taxing, tithe, toll, tribute, ultimatum, voting, votive offering, vouchsafement, warning, withholding tax

top

ROGET THESAURUS

contribution

Giving

N giving, bestowal, bestowment, donation, presentation, presentment, accordance, concession, delivery, consignment, dispensation, communication, endowment, investment, investiture, award, almsgiving, charity, liberality, generosity, gift, donation, present, cadeau, fairing, free gift, boon, favor, benefaction, grant, offering, oblation, sacrifice, immolation, lagniappe, pilon, grace, act of grace, bonus, allowance, contribution, subscription, subsidy, tribute, subvention, bequest, legacy, devise, will, dotation, dot, appanage, voluntary settlement, voluntary conveyance, amortization, alms, largess, bounty, dole, sportule, donative, help, oblation, offertory, honorarium, gratuity, Peter pence, sportula, Christmas box, Easter offering, vail, douceur, drink money, pourboire, trinkgeld, bakshish, fee, consideration, bribe, bait, ground bait, peace offering, handsel, boodle, graft, grease, blat, giver, grantor, donor, feoffer, settlor, giving, given, allowed, allowable, concessional, communicable, charitable, eleemosynary, sportulary, tributary, gratis, donative, auctor pretiosa facit, ex dono, res est ingeniosa dare.

Also see definition of "contribution" in Bible Study Dictionaries

For further exploring for "contribution" in Webster Dictionary Online