dis·tri·bu·tion /ˌdis-trə-'byü-shən/ n
1: the act or process of distributing: as
a: the apportionment by a court of the property and esp. personal property of an intestate among those entitled to it according to statute compare descent, devise
◇ The laws dealing with intestate succession are often called laws of descent and distribution.
b: the payment or transfer to a beneficiary of interest to which he or she is entitled under a trust
c: the transfer by a corporation or mutual fund of money or property to a shareholder in his or her capacity as a shareholder
d: the initial offering to the public of a security by a corporation
e: the delivery of a controlled substance
2: something distributed
dis·tri·bu·tive /di-'stri-byu̇-tiv/ adj
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.