Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To belong as a proper function or part; pertain.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To belong or pertain, as a part (to the whole), a member (to a class), a possession, or an attribute; belong by association or normal relation.
  • Synonyms See pertain.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To belong or pertain, whether by right, nature, appointment, or custom; to relate.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To belong to or be a part of, whether by right, nature, appointment, or custom; to relate to.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb be a part or attribute of

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English appertenen, from Old French apartenir, from Vulgar Latin *appartenēre, from Late Latin appertinēre : ad-, ad- + pertinēre, to belong; see pertain.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Middle English apperteinen, apertenen, from Old French apartenir (French appartenir), from Latin appertinere, from ad ("to") + pertinere ("to reach to, belong"). See pertain for details.

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Examples

  • The neat, suitable uniforms of the British nurses, the appliances they use, the various inventions they have made for the sick-room, can not fail to prove to the most careless observer that the profession to which these things appertain is both honorable and scientific.

    Art and Handicraft in the Woman's Building of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893 1894

  • Absolute, which are such as appertain and belong to particular men, merely as individuals or single persons : relative, which are incident to them as members of fociety, and standing in various relations to each other.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » McDonald amicus briefs: Academics, Congress redux, and California District Attorneys  2009

  • Now it seems to me very convenient to delineate, as it were, in the rough draught, those signs and marks that distinguish a malicious narration from a candid and unbiassed one, applying afterwards every point we shall examine to such as appertain to them.

    Essays and Miscellanies 2004

  • I allude to the means of communication by which different parts of the wide expanse of our country are to be placed in closer connection for purposes both of defense and commercial intercourse, and more especially such as appertain to the communication of those great divisions of the Union which lie on the opposite sides of the Rocky Mountains.

    State of the Union Address (1790-2001) United States. Presidents.

  • Under conditions such as appertain to New England and the adjacent

    Clovers and How to Grow Them Thomas Shaw 1880

  • I allude to the means of communication by which different parts of the wide expanse of our country are to be placed in closer connection for purposes both of defense and commercial intercourse, and more especially such as appertain to the communication of those great divisions of the Union which lie on the opposite sides of the Rocky Mountains.

    A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 5, part 3: Franklin Pierce 1878

  • I allude to the means of communication by which different parts of the wide expanse of our country are to be placed in closer connection for purposes both of defense and commercial intercourse, and more especially such as appertain to the communication of those great divisions of the Union which lie on the opposite sides of the Rocky Mountains.

    State of the Union Address Franklin Pierce 1836

  • For limited market items this would appertain for an extended period, but any popular item should drop to 5-7% of hardcopy withing a year or two.

    Coyote Blog » Blog Archive » Amazon and Macmillan 2010

  • The Coronation Oath Act requires the monarch to “maintaine the Laws of God the true profession of the Gospel and the Protestant reformed religion established by law [...] and [...] preserve unto the bishops and clergy of this realm and to the churches committed to their charge all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain unto them or any of them”.

    UK: Reforms would allow non-Protestant heir and end male priority 2008

  • It would amount to nothing more than the supreme command and direction of the military and naval forces, as first General and admiral of the Confederacy; while that of the British king extends to the DECLARING of war and to the RAISING and REGULATING of fleets and armies, all which, by the Constitution under consideration, would appertain to the legislature. eric wrote on September 17, 2007 10: 22 AM:

    Election Central | Talking Points Memo | McCain: Webb-Hagel Iraq Proposal Is Unconstitutional 2009

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