attachment
UK[əˈtætʃmənt]US[əˈtætʃmənt]
n
A feeling of love or strong connection to someone or something.
n
An extra part or piece of equipment that can be added to a machine to make it do a different job.
n
A computer file sent with an email message.
n
The act of attaching one thing to another.
Morpheme Breakdown
at
tach
ment
at
to, towards
tach
fasten, fix
ment
state or condition of
Etymology
The word 'attachment' has a journey of connection, both literal and legal. It originates from the Old French verb 'atachier', meaning 'to fasten or fix', which itself was formed from the prefix 'a-' (from Latin 'ad-', meaning 'to') and the Germanic root 'stakōn' (meaning 'stake'), implying the act of fixing something to a stake or post. This concrete sense of physical fastening entered Middle English. The suffix '-ment', from Latin '-mentum', was then added to form a noun describing the state or result of being fastened. Over time, the meaning expanded metaphorically from physical joining to include emotional bonds (a heart being 'fastened' to someone) and legal seizures (property being 'fastened' by court order), culminating in its modern digital use for files 'fastened' to emails.
Analysis
Structure: at (to, towards) + tach (fasten, fix) + ment (state or condition of)
- at: Latin prefix 'ad-', meaning 'to, towards'. In English spelling, it assimilates to 'at-' before 't'.
- tach: From Old French 'tachier', meaning 'to fasten, fix', itself from a Germanic root.
- ment: Latin suffix '-mentum', used to form nouns indicating an action, process, or resulting state.
Examples
She felt a strong attachment to her childhood home.
The vacuum cleaner comes with several useful attachments for different surfaces.
Please review the document in the email attachment.