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
Cell phones were still a novelty and not yet an appendage.
—
Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2025
Instead, the idea here is that the court may appoint a general receiver for the debtor-member which is all of (1) an officer and appendage of the court, (2) a trustee for the benefit of creditors, and, most importantly, the agent with power of attorney for the debtor.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Its color appears darker on its face and almost white on its tail and appendages.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025
To insist that advisory roles must expand knowledge and be more than appendages to predetermined decisions.
—Alondra Nelson, Time, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for appendage
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2025
Instead, the idea here is that the court may appoint a general receiver for the debtor-member which is all of (1) an officer and appendage of the court, (2) a trustee for the benefit of creditors, and, most importantly, the agent with power of attorney for the debtor.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Its color appears darker on its face and almost white on its tail and appendages.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025
To insist that advisory roles must expand knowledge and be more than appendages to predetermined decisions.
—Alondra Nelson, Time, 13 May 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 17 Jun. 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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