From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcontributorycon‧trib‧u‧to‧ry /kənˈtrɪbjətəri $ -tɔːri/ adjective 1 [only before noun]CAUSE being one of the causes of a particular result Smoking is a contributory factor in lung cancer.2 BECa contributory pension or insurance plan is one that is paid for by the workers as well as by the company they work for OPP noncontributory
Examples from the Corpus
contributory• Malnutrition was considered to have been a contributory cause of death.• The plaintiff had to prove that the breach of duty was at least a material contributory cause of the harm.• Alcohol is a contributory factor in at least 50% of the violent crimes reported.• A poor diet may be a contributory factor in the disease.• Another possible contributory factor is the increasing difficulty in admitting acutely ill patients.• The controversy surrounding the film was doubtless a contributory factor to Hollywood's subsequent avoidance of the subject.• This was also the case where contributory negligence was established before 1945.• If the plaintiff was thrown forwards and injured, then clearly failure to wear a seat belt is contributory negligence.• Lord Denning stated: A very young child can not be guilty of contributory negligence.• It included government-sponsored contributory old-age pensions, and eight-hour day and improved working-class housing.contributory factor• Check that overfeeding is not a contributory factor.• In investigating the causes of absenteeism from work, for example, researchers have found different contributory factors.• This may well have been a contributory factor in the prevalence of death in child-birth.• Another possible contributory factor is the increasing difficulty in admitting acutely ill patients.• But those within the service point to the investment in training as a major contributory factor to an increasingly professional service.• Some scientists have pointed to a recent brightening of the sun as an important contributory factor to global warming.• The controversy surrounding the film was doubtless a contributory factor to Hollywood's subsequent avoidance of the subject.• Many different contributory factors were suggested, from national differences in personality structure and child-rearing practices to political institutions. 