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attachment

attachment

12 2.8
A file sent with an email, like a photo or document
  • noun
  • /əˈtæʧmənt/
  • Texting
translation icon : archivo adjunto
  • She received a photo as an attachment in the email from her friend.
  • an email attachment
  • open an email attachment
  • e-mail attachment

And then I read attachments, which is a whole other story.

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Examples

  • I could also send it as an email attachment to my computer with the click of a button.

    Academic text (2013)
  • You can send your digital images as email attachments to my email address, which is noted in the last paragraph.

    Academic text (2001)
  • You should have an attachment with pictures we sent you.

  • It's been on email as an attachment all morning.

  • The file with the video attachment has been sent.

  • If a message with an attachment is received from someone you do not know, do not open the attachment.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The file with comments can be sent as an email attachment and viewed by anyone using Microsoft Word.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Finally, experts advise computer users to never open an email attachment from someone they don't know.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Most business email users won't open attachments because of concerns about viruses and other nasty problems.

    Blog text (18)
  • "Law firms are still sharing information the way they always have: exchanging e-mail attachments and fixed documents," Dziak says.

    Academic text (2004)

How Attached

annexure
  • UK
8.1
addendum
16 7.1
attachment
  • Texting
12 2.8
separate
  • Jargon
1 8.4

Surface Forms

attachment singular
attachments plural

Morphology

attachment = attach (transparent) = attach + ment

The electronic file sense is a direct extension of 'attach' (a file affixed to a message) and follows the regular nominalization pattern.

Etymology

Attachment comes from attach meaning 'to fasten' and -ment, so in email it is a file that is 'fastened' to a message, which is why we call a sent file an attachment.