appendix

[ uh-pen-diks ]

noun

, plural ap·pen·di·ces [uh, -, pen, -d, uh, -seez], ap·pen·dix·es.

1. supplementary material at the end of a book, article, document, or other text, usually of an explanatory, statistical, or bibliographic nature.

   Synonyms: addition, appurtenance, addendum, supplement, adjunct

2. an appendage.
3. Anatomy.
   1. a process or projection.
   2. the vermiform appendix.
4. Aeronautics. the short tube at the bottom of a balloon bag, by which the intake and release of buoyant gas is controlled.

appendix

/ əˈpɛndɪks /

noun

1. a body of separate additional material at the end of a book, magazine, etc, esp one that is documentary or explanatory
2. any part that is dependent or supplementary in nature or function; appendage
3. anatomy See vermiform appendix

appendix

/ ə-pĕn′dĭks /

, Plural appendixes ə-pĕn′-dĭ-sēz′

1. A tubular projection attached to the cecum of the large intestine and located on the lower right side of the abdomen.
2. Also called vermiform appendix

appendix

1. A small saclike organ located at the upper end of the large intestine . The appendix has no known function in present-day humans, but it may have played a role in the digestive system in humans of earlier times. The appendix is also called the vermiform appendix because of its wormlike (“vermiform”) shape.

Spelling Note

Appendices, a plural borrowed directly from Latin, is the usual plural, especially in scholarly writing, when referring to supplementary material at the end of a book. Appendixes is the usual plural in the anatomical meaning.

Word History and Origins

Origin of appendix¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin: literally, “appendage,” equivalent to append(ere) “to add on” + -ix (equivalent to -ic- noun suffix + -s nominative singular ending); append

Word History and Origins

Origin of appendix¹

C16: from Latin: an appendage, from appendere to append

Synonym Study

Appendix, supplement both mean material added at the end of a book. An appendix gives useful additional information, but even without it the rest of the book is complete: In the appendix are forty detailed charts. A supplement, bound in the book or published separately, is given for comparison, as an enhancement, to provide corrections, to present later information, and the like: A yearly supplement is issued.

Example Sentences

DOJ has also filed 1,900 pages of supporting evidence in the form of witness statements or testimony and documents as an appendix.

From Salon

Later she was in the North Devon District Hospital to have her appendix out and Korambayil was the surgeon.

From BBC

Consistent with a long-standing protective order in the case, the government filed the 180-page brief under seal last week, along with a far longer appendix of source materials.

From Los Angeles Times

In the corpus of our political system, a vice president is like an appendix; it does some good, but you could easily live without one.

From Los Angeles Times

After recovering from appendix surgery, Colson participated in full team practice for the first time this week.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• addendum
• postscript

What Is The Plural Of Appendix?

Plural word for appendix

The plural form of appendix can be either appendices, pronounced [ uh–pen-duh-seez ], or appendixes, but appendices is more widely used. The plural forms of several other singular nouns that end in -ix or -ex are also formed in this way, such as index/indices, matrix/matrices, and codex/codices.  

Irregular plurals that are formed like appendices derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin. However, the standard English plural -es is often also acceptable for these terms, as in indexes and matrixes.