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
• accessary
• accoutrement
• accouterment
• adapter
• adaptor
• add-on
• adjunct
• appliance
• attachment
• option

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 Vulcan system consists of a conventional robotic arm with a custom spatula-like appendage for poking into a shelf and a sucker for grabbing items to pull them out. —Will Knight, Wired News, 7 May 2025

If the target triggered the hairlike bristles, then the appendage flaps closed around it until the deed was done. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2025

Paleontologists have long wondered about this strange appendage and its purpose. —Elizabeth Landau, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

The animation, full of exaggerated appendages and character design that border on the grotesque, is hypnotizing, and the story propels forward with the furious pace of a mighty cyclist. —Barry Levitt, Vulture, 14 Feb. 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)