What's the meaning of つく when it comes to spelling words?


I found a Japanese children's book called [あっちゃんあがつく
たべものあいうえお](https://www.ehonnavi.net/ehon/1885/%E3%81%82%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93%E3%81%82%E3%81%8C%E3%81%A4%E3%81%8F%E3%81%9F%E3%81%B9%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%82%E3%81%84%E3%81%86%E3%81%88%E3%81%8A/).
Based on the context, I understand あがつく to mean "words containing あ", so my
guess is that つく in this context means "to be affixed to a word".

However, I can't find this sense of つく in any of the senses in its [goo.ne.jp
J-J dictionary
entry](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E4%BB%98%E3%81%8F_%28%E3%81%A4%E3%81%8F%29/#:%7E:text=%E3%81%A4%E3%83%BB%E3%81%8F%E3%80%90%E4%BB%98%E3%81%8F%EF%BC%8F%E2%96%BD%E9%99%84%E3%81%8F%EF%BC%8F%E7%9D%80%E3%81%8F%E3%80%91&text=%EF%BC%91%20%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%A8%E4%BB%96,%E9%9B%A2%E3%82%8C%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E7%8A%B6%E6%85%8B%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E3%80%82&text=%EF%BC%92%20%EF%BC%88%E7%9D%80%E3%81%8F%EF%BC%89%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8C,%E4%BB%96%E3%81%AE%E6%89%80%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A7%E9%81%94%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%80%82&text=%EF%BC%93%20%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%AE%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0%E3%81%AB%E5%AF%84%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3%81%9D%E3%81%84%E5%BE%93%E3%81%86%E3%80%82).
Have I interpreted the verb correctly?




You are right about the meaning of つく. Here are some instances I collected.

In [this
post](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1319438978?),
the OP asks

> **あがつく** 、おいしいものを、教えてください。 Please tell me about a delicacy that has the
> letter あ in its name.

The response is アイス(AISU).

[Another
question](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q14175483089?)
asks

> **いがつく** あなたが好きなアイドルは？ Who is your favorite idol with the letter い in their
> name?

The response is 伊藤まりか(Ito Marika)、井上 (Inoue)、生田 (Ikuta)、生駒 (Ikoma).

As a result, I think the verb つく means "to be affixed to a word." Perhaps a
derivative meaning of the first interpretation あるものと他のものが離れない状態になる in the
dictionary.

Additionally, native speakers appear to assume that the verb means "to begin
with (the letter)" if the position is not mentioned in the sentence. They
phrase "a word ending in such-and-such letter" as
[follows](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q10253079965?):

> 最後に **あがつく** 魚はいますか？ Is there a fish with a name that ends in the letter あ?

The responses are ティラピア, ラスボラ・ヘテロモルファ, チチカカオレスティア and so on.




You are right about the meaning of つく. Here are some instances I collected.

In [this
post](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1319438978?),
the OP asks

> **あがつく** 、おいしいものを、教えてください。 Please tell me about a delicacy that has the
> letter あ in its name.

The response is アイス(AISU).

[Another
question](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q14175483089?)
asks

> **いがつく** あなたが好きなアイドルは？ Who is your favorite idol with the letter い in their
> name?

The response is 伊藤まりか(Ito Marika)、井上 (Inoue)、生田 (Ikuta)、生駒 (Ikoma).

As a result, I think the verb つく means "to be affixed to a word." Perhaps a
derivative meaning of the first interpretation あるものと他のものが離れない状態になる in the
dictionary.

Additionally, native speakers appear to assume that the verb means "to begin
with (the letter)" if the position is not mentioned in the sentence. They
phrase "a word ending in such-and-such letter" as
[follows](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q10253079965?):

> 最後に **あがつく** 魚はいますか？ Is there a fish with a name that ends in the letter あ?

The responses are ティラピア, ラスボラ・ヘテロモルファ, チチカカオレスティア and so on.

