[ac.ces.so.ry] also ac.ces.sa.ry n, pl -ries (15c) 1 a: a person not actually or constructively present but contributing as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense--called also accessory before the fact b: a person who knowing that a crime has been committed aids or shelters the offender with intent to defeat justice--called also accessory after the fact
2. a: a thing of secondary or subordinate importance: adjunct b: an object or device not essential in itself but adding to the beauty, convenience, or effectiveness of something else "auto accessories" "clothing accessories"
[2]accessory adj (1607) 1: assisting as a subordinate; esp: contributing to a crime but not as the chief agent
2: aiding or contributing in a secondary way: supplementary
3: present in a minor amount and not essential as a constituent "an ~ mineral in a rock"