appertain

American  

[ap-er-teyn] / ˌæp ərˈteɪn /

verb (used without object)

1. to belong as a part, right, possession, attribute, etc.; pertain or relate (usually followed byto ).

   privileges that appertain to members of the royal family.

---

appertain British  

/ ˌæpəˈteɪn /

verb

1. to belong (to) as a part, function, right, etc; relate (to) or be connected (with)

---

Etymology

Origin of appertain

1350–1400; Middle English a ( p ) perte ( y ) nen < Old French apertenir. See ap- ¹, pertain

Explanation

Use the verb appertain when you need a formal way to say "officially concern." For example, you could argue, "Those mall rules don't appertain to me and my skateboard." You're most likely to see the word appertain followed by "to," meaning "apply to" or "relate to." Your parents' instructions, for example, appertain to you and your sisters; and passport laws appertain to any citizen who wants to travel to foreign countries. A closely related word is pertain, which has a similar but less formal or official meaning. Both words come from the Latin pertinere, "to relate, have reference to, or be applicable."

Example Sentences

The Alaskan forest reserves still appertain to the Department of Agriculture.

From Time Magazine Archive

He likewise carefully provided holy vessels, lamps, and other such things as appertain to the adorning of the house of God.

From Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England by Bede, Cuthbert

His duties are probably more varied than those that appertain to any other sort of engineering.

From The Business of Mining A brief non-technical exposition of the principles involved in the profitable operation of mines by Hoskin, Arthur J.

I happen to have copies of two editions of the Nemo, which, though they are undated, must appertain to the year 1518.

From Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 100, September 27, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various

They appertain to all the duties of life, but are too numerous to be quoted here.

From The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors Or, Christianity Before Christ by Graves, Kersey