accessory

[ak-ses-uh-ree] /ækˈsɛs ə ri/
noun, plural accessories.
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.
    Compare principal (def 9b).
4.
Anatomy, accessory nerve.
adjective
5.
contributing to a general effect; supplementary; subsidiary.
6.
Law. giving aid as an accessory.
7.
Petrography. (of a mineral) being present in small amounts in a rock and having no bearing on the classification of the rock, as zircon in granite.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English accessorie (< Middle French) < Medieval Latin accessōrius. See accede, -tory1
Related forms
accessorily, adverb
accessoriness, noun
interaccessory, adjective
nonaccessory, adjective, noun, plural nonaccessories.
Synonyms
1. See addition. 3. accomplice.
Examples from the web for accessory
  • Success rate will vary depending on location of accessory pathway and number of accessory pathways.
  • To make things worse, many people have come to regard dogs as something more than a furry household accessory.
  • Gaffer's tape is an essential photographic accessory.
  • The collapsible boat was touted as a necessary accessory for the traveler and the camper.
  • But let's not forget the linchpin accessory for the schoolyard fashionista-the lunchbox.
  • On top of a comfortable fit and offering easy access, this active wear accessory is also water-resistant and hand washable.
  • Hot sauce is an excellent accessory for any traveller.
  • The mini, available in five colors from pink to gold, is a fashion accessory.
  • Ken, for all his virile good looks and affable charm, really is an accessory.
  • Finally, an iPod accessory that isn't completely frivolous.
British Dictionary definitions for accessory

accessory

/əkˈsɛsərɪ/
noun (pl) -ries
1.
a supplementary part or object, as of a car, appliance, etc
2.
(often pl) 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
adjective
4.
supplementary; additional; subordinate
5.
assisting in or having knowledge of an act, esp a crime
Derived Forms
accessorial (ˌæksɛˈsɔːrɪəl) adjective
accessorily, adverb
accessoriness, noun
Word Origin
C17: from Late Latin accessōrius: see access
Word Origin and History for accessory
n.

also accessary, early 15c. as a legal term in the criminal sense of "one aiding in a crime;" also "that which is subordinate to something else," from Late Latin accessorius, from accessor, agent noun from accedere (see access (n.)). Attested from 1896 as "woman's smaller articles of dress," hence accessorize.

adj.

1550s, "subordinate," from Late Latin accessorius, from accessor, agent noun from accedere (see access (n.)). Meaning "aiding in crime" is from c.1600.

accessory in Medicine

accessory ac·ces·so·ry (āk-sěs'ə-rē)
adj.

  1. Having a secondary, supplementary, or subordinate function.

  2. Of, relating to, or being a body part, such as a gland, nerve, or muscle, that is anatomically auxiliary.