attachment

American  

[uh-tach-muhnt] / əˈtætʃ mənt /

noun

• attachments
  plural

1. an act of attaching or the state of being attached.

2. a feeling that binds one to a person, thing, cause, ideal, or the like; devotion; regard.

   a fond attachment to his cousin; a profound attachment to the cause of peace.

   Synonyms:

   devotedness, love

3. Psychology.

   1. an emotional bond between an infant or toddler and primary caregiver, a strong bond being vital for the child’s normal behavioral and social development.

   2. an enduring emotional bond that develops between one adult and another in an intimate relationship.

      romantic attachment.

4. something that attaches; a fastening or tie.

   the attachments of a harness; the attachments of a pair of skis.

   Synonyms:

   connection, junction

5. an additional or supplementary device.

   attachments for an electric drill.

6. Law. seizure of property or person by legal authority, especially seizure of a defendant's property to prevent its dissipation before trial or to acquire jurisdiction over it.

7. something attached, as a document added to a letter.

8. Digital Technology. a computer or electronic file sent with an email.

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attachment British  

/ əˈtætʃmənt /

noun

1. a means of securing; a fastening

2. (often foll by to) affection or regard (for); devotion (to)

   attachment to a person or to a cause

3. an object to be attached, esp a supplementary part

   an attachment for an electric drill

4. the act of attaching or the state of being attached

5. 1. the arrest of a person for disobedience to a court order

   2. the lawful seizure of property and placing of it under control of a court

   3. a writ authorizing such arrest or seizure

6. law the binding of a debt in the hands of a garnishee until its disposition has been decided by the court

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Synonym Usage

See addition.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonattachment
  noun
• overattachment
  noun
• preattachment
  noun
• reattachment
  noun
• self-attachment
  noun
• superattachment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• attachments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of attachment

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English attachement “detention, distraint, seizure,” from Anglo-French; see attach, -ment

Explanation

Attachment is a sticky word: an email attachment fastens a file to an email, while someone who has an attachment to email loves email. Attachment brings things together. Attachment is a word that's equal parts mechanical and emotional. Many gadgets — such as cameras and tractors — have attachments that allow them to get more done, like a tractor attachment for plowing snow. People have attachments to bands, political movements, sports teams, hobbies, and each other. It's important for babies to develop attachments to their parents — this means they're bonding with their parents. Attachment is a lot like duct tape — it fastens people and things together.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

attachment attachments

And while that was certainly a part of Beyoncé’s calculus when plotting “Irreemplazable,” she has a personal attachment to Spanish music.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

They will create a permanent attachment system for oil containment booms, which can be installed in the event of a spill, to help prevent the oil from reaching the shoreline and its sensitive ecosystems.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

He says he took the three-year fellowship in England because he was assured that Cambridge had an ironclad attachment to free speech.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

“Don’t get too far down a path of attachment with anyone before you think about who you are and what you want,” Bobby says.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

I discovered the almost mystical attachment that the Xhosa have for cattle, not only as a source of food and wealth, but as a blessing from God and a source of happiness.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

"Princess Ita was a young woman aged between 28 and 34 with strong upper-body muscle attachments, suggesting she habitually used weapons like maces or daggers," said Hashesh.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026

Despite the Vcommunicator’s third-party translation software or attachments, the underlying Apple platform was still first priority.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

I am loath to disclaim the power that comes with symbols such as the flag, words such as freedom, and the attachments that adhere to foundational inheritances such as, yes, the Constitution.

From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026

It asked the public to "dismiss any message that you have recently received from our account and that is unusual, especially if it contains links, attachments or requests personal information".

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Because we do not have attachments, unlike them.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Related Words

• affinity
• devotion
• friendship
• loyalty