appendage

/əˈpɛndɪd͡ʒ/

//əˈpɛndɪd͡ʒ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"appendage" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“appendage” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #38,730 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#38,730
frequency rank, English
9
letters
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An external body part that projects from the body.

Key facts for appendage
PropertyValue
Headwordappendage
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˈpɛndɪd͡ʒ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#38,730
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “appendage” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). appendage lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for appendage is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈpɛndɪd͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #38,730 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for appendage, with forms such as "apendage", "apepndage", and "appednage". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- Proto-Indo-European *(s)péndeti Proto-Italic *pendō Latin pendō Latin appendō Old French apendrebor. Middle English appenden English append P… The correct English form is appendage, spelled A-P-P-E-N-D-A-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An external body part that projects from the body.
  2. 2
    A natural prolongation or projection from a part of any organism.
  3. 3
    A part that is joined to something larger.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- Proto-Indo-European *(s)péndeti Proto-Italic *pendō Latin pendō Latin appendō Old French apendrebor. Middle English appenden English append Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Italic *-kos Latin -cus Latin -icus Latin -āticus Latin -āticum Old French -agebor. Middle English -age English -age English appendage From append + -age.

This word in other languages

miembro(Español)Extremität(Deutsch)apêndice(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apendage,apepndage,appednage,appenadge,appendaeg,appendagge,appenddage,appendgae,appenndage,appnedage,papendage

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of appendage - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

apendage1apepndage2appednage2appenadge2appendaeg2appendagge1appenddage1appendgae2
Edit distance from "appendage"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "appendage"?
"appendage" is spelled A-P-P-E-N-D-A-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈpɛndɪd͡ʒ/.
What does "appendage" mean?
As a noun, "appendage" means: An external body part that projects from the body.
What are common misspellings of "appendage"?
Common misspellings include "apendage", "apepndage", "appednage", "appenadge", "appendaeg". The correct spelling is "appendage".
How do you pronounce "appendage"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "appendage" is /əˈpɛndɪd͡ʒ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "appendage"?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- Proto-Indo-European *(s)péndeti Proto-Italic *pendō Latin pendō Latin appendō Old French apendrebor. Middle English appenden Englis... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “appendage”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-P-E-N-D-A-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈpɛndɪd͡ʒ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list