adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   Someone who accedes to some act, now especially a crime; one who contributes as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense.
2. 2
   someone who helps another person commit a crime wordnet

Adjective

1. 1
   Accompanying as a subordinate; additional; accessory; especially, uniting in, or contributing to, a crime, but not as chief actor. See accessory.

   "To both their deaths ſhalt thou be acceſſary."

Adjective

1. 1
   aiding and abetting in a crime wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

accessoryaccessoryaccessoryaccidentaccomplicesupportive

Example

More examples

"To both their deaths ſhalt thou be acceſſary."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English accessarie, axcessary, excercary, from Medieval Latin accessārius.

Etymology 2

From Medieval Latin accessārius.

Related phrases

after an offensecounsels an offensenot being present at its commissionnot being present at the commission of the offenseone whoone who commandsshelters the offender

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.