[trib.ute] n [ME tribut, fr. L tributum, fr. neut. of tributus, pp. of tribuere to allot, bestow, grant, pay, fr. tribus tribe] (14c) 1 a: a payment by one ruler or nation to another in acknowledgment of submission or as the price of protection; also: the tax levied for such a payment b (1): an excessive tax, rental, or tariff imposed by a government, sovereign, lord, or landlord (2): an exorbitant charge levied by a person or group having the power of coercion c: the liability to pay tribute
2. a: something given or contributed voluntarily as due or deserved; esp: a gift or service showing respect, gratitude, or affection "floral ~" b: something (as material evidence or a formal attestation) that indicates the worth, virtue, or effectiveness of the one in question "the product is a ~ to their ingenuity" syn see encomium