appendage
Americannoun
-
a subordinate part attached to something; an auxiliary part; addition.
-
Anatomy, Zoology. any member of the body diverging from the axial trunk.
-
Botany, Mycology. any subsidiary part superadded to another part.
-
a person in a subordinate or dependent position, especially a servile or parasitic follower.
noun
-
an ancillary or secondary part attached to a main part; adjunct
-
zoology any organ that projects from the trunk of animals such as arthropods
-
botany any subsidiary part of a plant, such as a branch or leaf
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of appendage
Explanation
Use the noun appendage to describe something that’s attached to something larger. Your arm is an appendage to your body. Appendage often describes body parts, either on humans or animals. If it’s something that sticks out — like a finger, tail, or leg — chances are it can be called an appendage. The word can also be used figuratively to refer to something that’s associated with something larger or more important, like a husband who’s a mere appendage to his famous wife. In this sense, the word takes on a negative connotation: the appendage is not important.
Vocabulary lists containing appendage
"To Build a Fire," Vocabulary from the short story
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"To Build a Fire" by Jack London
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Latin Love, Vol III: pendere
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mahoney stressed that the company has captured roughly 91% of the global market for left atrial appendage closure devices.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
The most striking feature is the chelicera, a pincer-like appendage that defines chelicerates.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
What’s important is understanding how human hands can grasp an object, and then extrapolating that to whatever synthetic appendage has been chosen, she added.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 27, 2025
He played with a small cast on his left hand and was even using that bandaged appendage to stiff-arm defenders.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025
“Europe,” said Madame Szegeczowska, in her soft French, “is essentially an economic appendage of the Northern Region. We know it, and it doesn’t matter.”
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
