What is the meaning of Okurigana?

In the Japanese language, the kana which follow a stem written with kanji, which record how that stem is inflected, and guides recognition of the appropriate kun'yomi reading (word stem associated with the kanji); for example, (ku) and かべる (kaberu) in () (uk-u, to float, intransitive) and ()かべる (uk-aberu, to float, transitive), or (mu) and きる (kiru) in () (umu, to birth) and ()きる (ikiru, to live). Perhaps analogous to -st, -nd in English 1st (first), 2nd (second).

Rōmaji transcription of おくりがな

Source: wiktionary.org