appendage

C2+ Topic:The Human Body

US /əˈpɛndɪdʒ/ UK /əˈpɛndɪdʒ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a part attached or subordinate to a larger body

The crab waved a spindly appendage at the intruder.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a part attached or... attachment adjunct limb extension projection appendix

Word family

Related forms append appendixappendicular

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

auricular appendage
a small pouch projecting from the front of an atrium of the heart

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Appendage appeared in the mid-17th century and ultimately derives from Latin appendere, “to hang on,” a verb related to pendere, “to hang.” It belongs to the same word family as append and appendix.

Etymology

From append + -age, from Latin appendere ('to hang upon'), from ad- ('to') + pendere ('to hang').

appendere Latin pendere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

The Human Body

External links

# appendage

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /əˈpɛndɪdʒ/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈpɛndɪdʒ/

## Meanings
1. a part attached or subordinate to a larger body

## Examples
- The crab waved a spindly appendage at the intruder.

## Synonyms
- attachment
- adjunct
- limb
- extension
- projection
- appendix

## Related Forms
- append
- appendix
- appendicular

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: appendere
- Root: pendere

## Etymology
From append + -age, from Latin appendere ('to hang upon'), from ad- ('to') + pendere ('to hang').

## AI Etymology
Appendage is a noun meaning "a part attached or subordinate to a larger body". Historically, it is from append + -age, from Latin appendere ('to hang upon'), from ad- ('to') + pendere ('to hang'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: appendage is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The modern meaning, "a part attached or subordinate to a larger body", follows the base word through the added English ending. The historical chain links Latin appendere with Latin pendere. Close English family members include append, appendix, and appendicular.

## Topics
- The Human Body

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