/ ˈtrɪbjuːt; NAmE / noun
1.
[ U , C ] tribute (to sb) an act, a statement or a gift that is intended to show your respect or admiration, especially for a dead person :
At her funeral her oldest friend paid tribute to her life and work.
This book is a fitting tribute to the bravery of the pioneers.
floral tributes (= gifts of flowers at a funeral)
2.
[ sing. ] tribute to sth/sb showing the good effects or influence of sth/sb :
His recovery is a tribute to the doctors' skill.
3.
[ U , C ] (especially in the past) money given by one country or ruler to another, especially in return for protection or for not being attacked
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in sense 3): from Latin tributum , neuter past participle (used as a noun) of tribuere assign (originally divide between tribes), from tribus tribe.