appendix

/əˈpɛn.dɪks/
supplementary material

The report includes an appendix with detailed data.

The appendix provides extra information not in the main report.


formal

A section of additional information added at the end of a book, document, or report.

The textbook has an appendix with reference tables.

The appendix contains tables that support the textbook content.

Please check the appendix for the full list of sources.

The appendix includes all the references cited in the document.

Commonly used in academic and professional writing to separate supplementary content from the main text.

Medicine
Medical

A small tube-shaped sac attached to the large intestine in humans.

The doctor removed the inflamed appendix during surgery.

The surgical procedure involved excising the infected appendix.

In medical contexts, 'appendix' refers to the vermiform appendix, an organ in the digestive system.

Collocations

appendix to a bookadditional section at the end of a bookappendix surgerymedical operation to remove the appendix

Pro Tip

Distinguishing meanings

Context determines whether 'appendix' refers to supplementary material or the body part. Academic documents typically use 'appendix' for extra content, while medical contexts refer to the organ.

Gold Rule

Placement in documents

Appendices are placed at the end of a document and are labeled with letters or numbers (e.g., Appendix A, Appendix 1).

Word Origin

From Latin 'appendix' meaning 'something appended', from 'appendere' (to hang upon), from 'ad-' (to) + 'pendere' (to hang).

Usage Notes

In academic writing, 'appendix' is often pluralized as 'appendices' (following Latin) or 'appendixes' (following English). 'Appendix' as a body part is always singular.

Word Breakdown

append-
to hang or attach
root
+
-ix
suffix indicating a condition or state
suffix
English Dictionary