How to explain an attribute in Python to a novice

Question

Can anyone explain in simple words what an attribute in Python language is?

For instance what can I say about

list.append(x)

which adds

Answer 1

See the python documentation : Especially 9.3.3. Instance Objects: There are two kinds of valid attribute names, data attributes and methods. You'll find there examples, too. So, why are methods also called attributes? For some methods the term "attribute" fits better, than for others. Example:

car.color()

This method may return the color of the car.

Take it just as a matter of definition and generalization that the word after the dot is called an attribute of the object before the dot.