1
- playing a part in bringing something about起促成作用的, 有助于…的：
smoking may be a contributory cause of lung cancer.
吸烟可能是导致肺癌的原因之一。
2
- (of a pension or insurance scheme) operated by means of a fund into which people pay（养老金, 保险金制度）共醵的：
contributory benefits.
共醵抚恤金。
(pl. -ies)
- Law, Brit. a person liable to give money towards the payment of a wound-up company's debts【律】〈英〉负连带偿还责任的人。
词源
late Middle English （in the sense 'contributing to a fund'）： from medieval Latin contributorius, from Latin contribut- 'added' （see CONTRIBUTION）.