annex

Where does the word "annex" come from? It comes from Latin nectere, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1400s).

Annex’s story begins in Latin: nectere meant “to bind, to tie.” To bind, to tie, combined with ad- (to). Within Latin, it grew into annectere by ancient. To bind to, to attach, from ad- and nectere. From there it passed into Old French as annexer by medieval. Carried into French for attaching territory or property to a larger whole. It reached English by 1400s as annex. Settled as the English word for adding territory to a larger political unit. Today, annex means to formally add territory to a larger country or state, or a building attached to a larger one.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient nectere "to bind, to tie", to bind, to tie, combined with ad- (to).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient annectere "to bind to, to attach", to bind to, to attach, from ad- and nectere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval annexer "to attach territory or property to a larger whole", carried into French for attaching territory or property to a larger whole.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s annex "to add territory to a larger political unit, or an attached building", settled as the English word for adding territory to a larger political unit.