A pendent is something that hangs down because it weighs something. (Cf. pendejo in Mexican Spanish.) Latin appendo (whence append) means 'to weigh, pay out; consider'. Appendix is probably from pendeo 'to hang, supsend'. They're probably both from the same root *(s)pen(d)- 'to draw, pull, stretch, spin'; also pound (from pondus) and spider.


http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE489.html