The quality or state of being attached or hanging from something else; the condition of depending on or belonging to another thing.
From Latin appendere (to hang upon) combined with the suffix -ence, which indicates a state or condition. The root append- comes from ad- (to) + pendere (to hang), literally meaning 'to hang to.' This word evolved to describe both physical attachment and abstract dependency.
This word shows how Latin's literal meaning 'hanging to' became abstract—just like how a physical appendix hangs from your intestines, but we also use 'appendix' for extra material 'attached' to a book. Language takes concrete images and stretches them into ideas!
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