'appertainment' originates from Latin (via Old French and Middle English), specifically the word 'pertinere', where 'per-' meant 'through' or 'completely' and 'tenere' meant 'to hold'.

'appertainment' changed from Middle English forms such as 'appertainen' (derived from Old French 'apertenir' from Latin 'pertinere') and was formed in English by adding the suffix '-ment' to 'appertain', eventually becoming the modern English 'appertainment'.

Initially, the root meant 'to hold or relate to' (that is, 'to pertain'); over time the derived noun came to mean 'a thing that belongs to or is incident to something' and this basic sense has largely persisted, though the noun is now rare or archaic.