at·tract / əˈtrakt/ • v. [tr.] cause to come to a place or participate in a venture by offering something of interest, favorable conditions, or opportunities: a campaign to attract more visitors to West Virginia. ∎  evoke (a specified reaction): I did not want to attract attention his criticism of the government attracted widespread support. ∎  cause (someone) to have a liking for or interest in something: I was attracted to the idea of working for a ballet company. ∎  cause (someone) to have a sexual or romantic interest in someone: it was her beauty that attracted him. ∎  exert a force on (an object) that is directed toward the source of the force: the negatively charged ions attract particles of dust.DERIVATIVES: at·trac·tor / -tər/ n.

attract XV. f. L. attract-, pp. stem of attrahere, f. AT- + trahere draw (cf. TRACT3).
So attraction XV. — F. or L. attractive XIV. — F. — late L.