what does annex mean

The word "annex" has multiple related meanings: As a verb, to annex means to add or attach something, especially to take control of a territory or region and incorporate it into a larger country or state. For example, "The United States annexed Texas in 1845" means the US took control of Texas and made it part of the country. It can also mean to add something as an extension or appendix, like adding a document or statement to another. As a noun, an annex refers to a building or an extension attached to a larger building that is used as part of it, such as an additional wing of a library. It can also mean a section or statement added at the end of a document (an appendix). In legal and practical contexts, annexes often extend contracts or documents and must be explicitly included in the main agreement to have legal effect. So broadly, "annex" means to add or attach something, either physically (a building), territorially (a region), or document-wise (an appendix).