appendage

noun

ap·​pend·​age ə-ˈpen-dij 

1

: an adjunct to something larger or more important : appurtenance

2

: a usually projecting part of an animal or plant body that is typically smaller and of less functional importance than the main part to which it is attached

especially : a limb or analogous part (such as a seta)

3

[appendant] : a dependent or subordinate person

Did you know?

The Root of Appendage

Appendix isn't the only noun that comes from append. Unlike appendix, appendage doesn't suggest the end of something, but simply something attached. The word is often used in biology to refer to parts of an animal's body: an insect's antennae, mouthparts, or wings, for example. The appendages of some animals will grow back after they've been removed; a salamander, for example, can regrow a finger, and the tiny sea squirt can regrow all its appendages—and even its brain.

Synonyms

• accessory
• option
• appliance

Examples of appendage in a Sentence

The court system acts as an appendage to the government.

an appendage of a larger political party

Recent Examples on the Web

The insect uses the red flag-looking appendages on its hind legs to perform an intricate and mysterious display. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025

What the recruits weren’t told was that piloting the machines over time would severely damage their appendage motor function responses. —Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025

Using a special sub-zero microscope, the researchers watched the algae slip through these ice highways without thrashing, scrunching, or using visible appendages. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025

Even stranger, the appendage is covered in hooked protusions at its tip. —Staff Author, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

appendage

noun

ap·​pend·​age ə-ˈpen-dij 

1

: something attached to a larger or more important thing

2

: a projecting part (as an antenna) of an animal or plant body

especially : an arm, leg, or similar part

Medical Definition

appendage

noun

ap·​pend·​age ə-ˈpen-dij 

: a subordinate or derivative body part

especially : a limb or analogous part (as a seta)