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 of appendage

• 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

Texas Rigs Big worms, wide-bodied creature baits — anything with substantial mass and water-moving appendages will suffice. — David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026

Meanwhile, tech stock traders are tiptoeing around mouse traps, eager to get through June without losing an appendage. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

After trading the Jeep for some clothes, Perry, now dressed in a black suit, wanders through town while struggling to control her newfound appendage. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

Hag Moth Caterpillar has bizarre-looking long, twisted appendages on its sides and is about an inch long. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

append + -age

Note: As noted by the Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, the formation may have been to some extent conditioned by appen(n)age, variant spellings of appanage, matched by equivalent variant spellings of the cognate word in French.

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)