appendage

Appendage is a part that is attached to a larger body, often projecting from it. In common usage it refers to limbs or body parts such as arms, legs, antennae, or tails, but it can also denote any projecting outgrowth or accessory connected to an object. The word derives from Latin appendere, meaning to hang to or to add to.

In biology, appendages are diverse. In animals, appendages include limbs, fins, wings, tails, antennae, and other sensory or locomotor structures. They may be joined directly to the main body or to a trunk or segment, and can vary widely in form and function. In arthropods, many appendages are jointed and specialized for feeding, sensing, or movement.

In plants, appendages include leaf petioles, stipules, tendrils, thorns, and other structures that extend from the main axis. These outgrowths can aid in support, protection, reproduction, or resource capture.

Beyond biology, appendage can describe any accessory attached to a larger object, such as a device’s add-on, a mechanical appendage, or a secondary component. The term is also used in medical contexts to refer to a part that is attached to the main body but not essential for life, though care should be taken to distinguish from the organ named appendix.

See also: limbs, outgrowth, extension, antenna, tendril, prosthesis.