accessory

American  

[ak-ses-uh-ree] / ækˈsɛs ə ri /

noun

• accessories
  plural

1. a subordinate or supplementary part, object, or the like, used mainly for convenience, attractiveness, safety, etc., as a spotlight on an automobile or a lens cover on a camera.

2. an article or set of articles of dress, as gloves, earrings, or a scarf, that adds completeness, convenience, attractiveness, etc., to one's basic outfit.

3. Law.

   1. Also called accessory before the fact. a person who, though not present during the commission of a felony, is guilty of having aided and abetted another, who committed the felony.

   2. Also called accessory after the fact. a person who knowingly conceals or assists another who has committed a felony.

   Synonyms:

   accomplice

4. Anatomy. accessory nerve.

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adjective

1. contributing to a general effect; supplementary; subsidiary.

2. Law. giving aid as an accessory.

accessory British  

/ əkˈsɛsərɪ /

noun

1. a supplementary part or object, as of a car, appliance, etc

2. (often plural) a small accompanying item of dress, esp of women's dress

3. a person who incites someone to commit a crime or assists the perpetrator of a crime, either before or during its commission

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adjective

1. supplementary; additional; subordinate

2. assisting in or having knowledge of an act, esp a crime

Synonym Usage

See addition.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• accessoriness
  noun
• accessorial
  adjective
• interaccessory
  adjective
• nonaccessory
  adjective
• accessorily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accessories
  plural

Etymology

Origin of accessory

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English accessorie (from Middle French ), from Medieval Latin accessōrius. See accede, -tory ¹

Explanation

Whether we're talking about a fog light for your boat or just a nice hat to go with your boating outfit, an accessory is something you add to something else to make it better. An accessory can be any piece of clothing that you wear or carry as long as it isn't part of the main outfit. You can also use the word to refer to someone who helps someone else commit a crime. So the guy who distracted the old lady while another guy grabbed her purse? He was the accessory to the theft of an accessory.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

accessory accessories

Elsewhere on Saturday, French luxury house Hermes presented its women's collection in the courtyard of the elite Republican Guard police unit in Paris, making the zip its leitmotif and the ultra-fine strap an accessory.

From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026

Plus, shoes have replaced bags as the new entry-level luxury accessory, and nepo-baby accusations are reaching a fever pitch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Somewhere in your house probably lurks a book, an accessory or an appliance you may not have bought if Winfrey hadn’t given it her seal of approval.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026

I had hoped the bangs would repel him, but my new facial accessory failed to be a punctuation between us in the way I’d imagined.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

The purse—sorry, masculine accessory bag—was rainbow tie-dyed with a peace symbol stitched in wooden beads and the slogan Hug the Whole World.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

The note scrutinized four distinct channels by which AI might contribute to pricing pressures: software and accessories, consumer electronics, electricity prices and other cost spillovers like industrial metals and construction wage growth.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

The accessories are designed to work together and users can control every product with Siri voice commands.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Last year, it saw its busiest October to date, with customers individually spending an average of £40 on fancy costumes and accessories.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

The retailer said this week it would cut prices on nearly 2,000 items related to home, apparel, and accessories.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Each one came with cool clothes and accessories.

From "Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #1" by Carolyn Keene

Related Words

• adornment
• appliance
• component
• decoration