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Dictionary


ac•ces•so•ry



Pronunciation: (ak-ses'u-rē), [key]
—n., pl. -ries,
—adj.

—n.
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.
a. Also called acces'sory 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.
b. Also called acces'sory af'ter the fact'. a person who knowingly conceals or assists another who has committed a felony. Cf. principal (def. 9b).
4. Anat.See accessory nerve.

—adj.
1. contributing to a general effect; supplementary; subsidiary.
2. Law.giving aid as an accessory.
3. Petrog.noting any mineral whose presence in a rock has no bearing on the classification of the rock, as zircon in granite.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

accessorizeaccessory fruit
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