The present participle of annex; the act of adding territory, property, or a supplement to an existing structure or state.
From annex plus the present participle suffix '-ing', from Latin 'annectere' meaning to bind or tie to.
When Houston started 'annexing' surrounding towns in the 20th century, it didn't have to fight wars—it simply grew outward, making Texas's largest city gigantic through peaceful bureaucratic expansion.
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