🇺🇸
/ˈæn.ɛks/
🇺🇸
/ˈæn.ɛks/
🇬🇧
/əˈnɛks/
🇬🇧
/əˈnɛks/
Plural
annexes
Past Tense
annexed
Past Participle
annexed
Gerund
annexing
3rd Person
annexes
Annex is a versatile word: as a noun, it refers to an extra part added to a building (like a new wing); as a verb, it means to take control of and add territory, property, or resources—often by political or military power. Think of it like 'gluing' something new onto what you already own—whether it's a library annex next to the main building or a country annexing a neighboring region.
The museum opened a new annex last spring to display its growing collection of modern art.
In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, a move widely condemned by the United Nations.
The company plans to annex three small startups to expand its AI capabilities.
They annexed an extra bedroom by converting the attic.
The historic treaty allowed the kingdom to peacefully annex the coastal principality without war.
an-
Comes from the Latin prefix 'ad-' (assimilated to 'an-' before 'n'), meaning 'to', 'toward', or 'near'. It conveys the idea of addition, attachment, or bringing something into association. Examples include annex, annexation, annexure, and (via related assimilation) attract, affirm, and announce.
nex
Derived from the Latin verb 'nectere' (past participle 'nexus'), meaning 'to bind', 'to tie', or 'to connect'. This root carries the core concept of linking, joining, or attaching one thing to another. Examples include annex, nexus, connect, disconnect, junction, and conjugate.