appertain: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-frequencyFormal, Literary, Legal, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “appertain” mean?
to belong to as a part, right, function, or attribute.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to belong to as a part, right, function, or attribute; to relate or pertain to something.
Used formally to indicate that something is logically or naturally connected to, appropriate for, or the responsibility of a particular person, matter, or domain.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Conveys an old-fashioned, precise, or legalistic tone in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both BrE and AmE. Slightly more likely to be encountered in BrE in formal legal or historical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “appertain” in a Sentence
Subject + appertain + to + objectVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “appertain” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The historic grazing rights appertain to the cottagers in perpetuity.
- Questions appertaining to the treaty will be addressed by the Foreign Office.
American English
- The mineral rights appertain to the landowner, not the leaseholder.
- Certain immunities appertain to the office of the presidency itself.
adverb
British English
- None. 'Appertain' is not used as an adverb.
American English
- None. 'Appertain' is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- None. 'Appertain' is not used as an adjective.
American English
- None. 'Appertain' is not used as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used in very formal contracts: 'The liabilities appertaining to the subsidiary company.'
Academic
Used in historical, philosophical, or legal writing to denote inherent connections: 'The duties appertaining to the monarch's role.'
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Occasionally in legal documents to specify rights, titles, or obligations attached to a property or position.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “appertain”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “appertain”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “appertain”
- Using it without 'to': *'The documents appertain the estate.' (Correct: 'appertain TO the estate')
- Using it in casual contexts where 'belong to' or 'relate to' would be natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Appertain' strongly implies belonging as a right or attribute and is more formal. 'Pertain' is more common and has a broader meaning of 'relating to' or 'being relevant to'.
No, it is almost always used intransitively with 'to' (e.g., 'The duties appertain to the role').
No, it is a formal, literary, and somewhat archaic word. In everyday speech, 'belong to', 'relate to', or 'are part of' are far more common.
It is exclusively a verb.
to belong to as a part, right, function, or attribute.
Appertain is usually formal, literary, legal, archaic in register.
Appertain: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæp.əˈteɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæp.ɚˈteɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this word.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'APPertain' – an APP belongs to (pertains to) your phone. It's an accessory part of it.
Conceptual Metaphor
OWNERSHIP/RESPONSIBILITY AS ATTACHMENT (The duty is attached to the office).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb 'appertain' MOST appropriately used?