imputare

Imputare is a verb with Latin roots that is used in both classical and modern contexts to mean attributing something to someone, especially responsibility, blame, or cause. In Latin, imputare designated the act of reckoning or assigning a thing to a person, often in a legal or rhetorical sense, such as imputing a fault or an action to someone. The construction typically involved imputing a thing to a person, with the object of the attribution expressed in the accusative and the person to whom it is attributed indicated indirectly.

Etymologically, imputare is formed from in- plus putare, a verb meaning to think, reckon, or prune, among other senses. Over time, Latin usage evolved to emphasize the act of ascribing or charging someone with a fault, crime, or responsibility. The term passed into the Romance languages, retaining the core sense of attribution.

In Italian, imputare remains a common transitive verb. It means to attribute blame or responsibility to someone or to charge someone with a crime. Typical constructions include imputare qualcosa a qualcuno (to ascribe something to someone) or imputare un reato a qualcuno (to accuse someone of a crime). Related forms include imputazione (the act of imputing or the indictment), imputato (the person accused), and imputabilità/imputabilità (the degree to which someone is legally responsible). The word is used in legal, journalistic, and everyday contexts, though it can also refer to attributing non-criminal causes or effects, as in imputare una crisi a una serie di eventi.

See also ascrivere, attribuire.