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
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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.
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 wholesale American cannibalism of one of its own crucial appendages—the world-famous university system—has begun in earnest.
—
Ars Staff, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2025
These intriguing creatures were first discovered in 1925 when two of their appendages were found in the stomach of a sperm whale.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025
Within reach was the wasp’s sting and its ovipositor – the tube-like appendage used by many insects to lay eggs.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025
Ode to Lucy’s Pelvis Adrienne Gruber O wondrous one, your bipedal swag, terrestrial locomotion,
partial appendages revealed, brain a soft sponge, size
of an acorn, still waiting for that growth spurt
3.2 million years later.
—Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for appendage
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Ars Staff, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2025
These intriguing creatures were first discovered in 1925 when two of their appendages were found in the stomach of a sperm whale.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025
Within reach was the wasp’s sting and its ovipositor – the tube-like appendage used by many insects to lay eggs.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025
Ode to Lucy’s Pelvis Adrienne Gruber O wondrous one, your bipedal swag, terrestrial locomotion,
partial appendages revealed, brain a soft sponge, size
of an acorn, still waiting for that growth spurt
3.2 million years later.
—Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for appendage
Cite this Entry
“Appendage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appendage. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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)
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