Annex (noun) refers to a building attached to or associated with a larger one, serving as an addition or subsidiary space. It can also denote an appendix at the end of a document or report. The term implies a secondary, supplementary function and is often used in formal or institutional contexts.
"The university opened a new annex to house the science laboratories."
"During the meeting, the annex was used as a quieter breakout room for note-taking."
"The government published the treaty annex detailing additional clauses."
"Our company added an annex to the main office to accommodate the growing staff."
Annex comes from the Latin annexus, past participle of adiungere, meaning to join or bind to. The Latin prefix ad- means toward, and iungere means to join. In English, annex appeared in the 15th century in the sense of “to join to, attach,” gradually acquiring the noun sense of a building appended to a larger structure. The semantic shift toward ‘an additional part used for a related purpose’ gained traction in the 18th and 19th centuries with legal and architectural usage (e.g., annex to a castle, annex to a treaty). The term often conveys a formal or administrative nuance, as in government or corporate contexts, where a document annex contains supplementary material. First known use in English citations appears in legal and architectural records from the late medieval period, evolving into modern usage that includes both space (physical addition) and document-related senses (appendix or attachment). Today, annex is widely recognized in both everyday vocabulary and specialized discourse, retaining the sense of connected yet supplementary function across varieties of English. It also survives in compound forms like annexation, annexed, and annexure in some dialects, though usage can vary by region. Overall, annex emphasizes a secondary but integrally connected component rather than a replacement for the main entity.
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Words that rhyme with "Annex"
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Annex is pronounced with two syllables: AN- (schwa-less vowel, /æ/ in US) and NEX with a clear /nɛks/ ending. IPA: US /ˈæ.nɛks/, UK /ˈæ.neks/, AU /ˈæ.nɛks/. The stress falls on the first syllable. Keep a short, crisp vowel in the first syllable and a sharp /k-s/ cluster at the end. If you have trouble, try saying ‘annex’ as two quick sounds: ‘AN’ + ‘EKS’, then blend into /ˈæ.nɛks/.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable (uh-NEX). 2) Using a long /iː/ or /eɪ/ in the first syllable (ˈeɪ.nɛks or ˈeɪ.n.eks). 3) Slurring the /n/ and /ɛ/ into a single sound. Correction: keep the first syllable with /æ/ and clearly release the /n/ before a crisp /ɛ/ then /ks/. Practice by saying ‘AN’ as a short, bright vowel, then a distinct /nɛks/ with a quick, closed /k/ before /s/.
Across accents, duration and vowel quality shift slightly. US and AU generally use /ˈæ.nɛks/, with a short /æ/ in the first syllable and a crisp /ə/ reduced in fast speech, while the UK tends to maintain the same vowel quality but may have slightly more clipped consonants in rapid speech. Rhoticity does not alter the word’s vowels, but linked speech can affect the smoothness between syllables. Overall, the core is /ˈæ.nɛks/ with small regional timing adjustments.
The difficulty lies in the abrupt /æ/ vowel, the /n/ consonant cluster leading into /ɛ/ and the /ks/ ending. In rapid speech, the vowels can reduce toward schwa and the /s/ may become a lightly released /s/ or merged into /z/ in some dialects. Also, the /n/ can assimilate to a following alveolar stop, subtly affecting the transition. Focusing on a crisp /æ/ start, a separate /n/, and a clear /ɛ/ before /ks/ helps stabilize pronunciation.
Yes. In Annex, the 'x' is pronounced as the /ks/ cluster at the end. The sequence is /æ/ + /n/ + /ɛ/ + /ks/. You should finish the word with a short, explosive /k/ and the /s/ release occurs quickly. Avoid turning the ending into /z/ or a softened sound. Practicing with a deliberate /ks/ release will help you land the final consonant cleanly.
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