Attachment is a feeling of closeness or connection to someone or something. You might feel attachment to your family, your best friend, or even a favorite stuffed animal you've had since you were little. This emotional bond makes you care deeply about that person or thing.

In psychology, attachment describes the special connection that forms between babies and their parents or caregivers. A baby develops an attachment to the people who feed them, comfort them, and keep them safe. This early attachment helps children feel secure enough to explore the world, knowing they have someone to return to. As people grow up, they form new attachments to friends, teachers, pets, and eventually their own families.

The word also has a practical meaning: an attachment is something connected or fastened to something else. An email might have a photo attachment, or a vacuum cleaner might have different attachments for cleaning various surfaces. A toy robot might have attachments that snap on to give it different tools.

Sometimes people talk about being attached to material things, like a worn-out backpack or an old book. Even though these objects could be replaced, the attachment makes them special because of the memories and feelings connected to them.