different between accessible vs access

English

Etymology

First attested in 1400, from French, from Late Latin accessibilis, from accessus, perfect passive participle of acc?d? (“approach”)

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?k?s?s.?.b?l/

Adjective

accessible (comparative more accessible, superlative most accessible)

1. Easy of access or approach. [from 1640s]

   Synonym: approachable

2. (specifically) Built or designed as to be usable by people with disabilities.

3. (of a person) Easy to get along with.

   Synonyms: easy-going, friendly, welcoming

4. (followed by to) Open to the influence of.
5. Obtainable; to be got at.

   • The materials , however, which are at present accessible, are sufficient for the construction of a narrative not to be read without shame and loathing

6. (art, literature) Easily understood or appreciated. [from 1961]
   • 2015, Rose Bretécher, Pure, ?ISBN

     But something new was rippling through a million MySpace profiles. The sound was electro, and bass-laced synthetic dance pop would soon start streaming in from producers in Paris, dizzying the twenteens of Britain with its accessible, anthemic funk.

7. Capable of being used or seen.

Antonyms

• inaccessible

Derived terms

• accessibility
• accessibly

Translations

Further reading

• “accessible”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.

Catalan

Etymology

From Late Latin accessibilis (“accessible”), from accessus, perfect passive participle of acc?d? (“approach”).

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /?k.s??si.bl?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /ak.se?si.ble/

Adjective

accessible (masculine and feminine plural accessibles)

1. accessible

   Antonym: inaccessible

Derived terms

• accessibilitat
• inaccessible

Further reading

• “accessible” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

French

Etymology

From Late Latin accessibilis (“accessible”), from accessus, perfect passive participle of acc?d? (“approach”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ak.s?.sibl/, /ak.se.sibl/
• Homophone: accessibles
• Hyphenation: ak?se?ssible

Adjective

accessible (plural accessibles)

1. (of a place, information, etc.) accessible, attainable, obtainable, available
2. (of a price) affordable
3. (of a person) approachable

Antonyms

• inaccessible

Derived terms

• accessibilité

Further reading

• “accessible” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology 1

• First attested in the early 14th century.
• (entrance): First attested about 1380.
• From Middle English accesse, acces, from Middle French acces (“attack, onslaught”) or from its source Latin accessus, perfect passive participle of acc?d? (“approach; accede”), from ad (“to, toward, at”) + c?d? (“move, yield”). Doublet of accessus.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?æks?s/
• (General American) enPR: ?k?s?s', IPA^(key): /?æk?s?s/
• Hyphenation: ac?cess

Noun

access (countable and uncountable, plural accesses)

1. (uncountable) A way or means of approaching or entering; an entrance; a passage.
   • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

     All access was thronged.

2. (uncountable) The act of approaching or entering; an advance.
3. (uncountable) The right or ability of approaching or entering; admittance; admission; accessibility.
4. (uncountable) The quality of being easy to approach or enter.
   • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet Act 2 Scene 1

     I did repel his fetters, and denied His access to me. - Shakespeare, Hamlet, II-i
5. (uncountable) Admission to sexual intercourse.
   • 1760s, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England

     During coverture, access of the husband shall be presumed, unless the contrary be shown.

6. (archaic, countable) An increase by addition; accession
   • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

     I, from the influence of thy looks, receive access in every virtue.

7. (countable) An onset, attack, or fit of disease; an ague fit.

   • The first access looked like an apoplexy.

8. (countable) An outburst of an emotion; a paroxysm; a fit of passion
   • 1946, Arnold J. Toynbee, A Study of History (Abridgement of Volumes I-VI by D.C. Somervell)

     It appears that, about the middle of the fourth century of the Christian Era, the Germans in the Roman service started the new practice of retaining their native names; and this change of etiquette, which seems to have been abrupt, points to a sudden access of self-confidence and self-assurance in the souls of the barbarian personnel which had previously been content to 'go Roman' without reservations.

9. (uncountable, law) The right of a noncustodial parent to visit their child.
10. (uncountable, computing) The process of locating data in memory.
11. (uncountable, networking) Connection to or communication with a computer program or to the Internet.

Usage notes

• (outburst, paroxysm): sometimes confused with excess.

Derived terms

• access day
• direct access
• random access
• remote access

Related terms

Translations

Etymology 2

• First attested in 1962.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?æks?s/, /?k?s?s/
• (General American) enPR: ?k?s?s', ?k-s?s?, IPA^(key): /?æk?s?s/, /?k?s?s/
• Hyphenation: ac?cess

Verb

access (third-person singular simple present accesses, present participle accessing, simple past and past participle accessed)

1. (transitive) To gain or obtain access to.
2. (transitive, computing) To have access to (data).

   I can't access most of the data on the computer without a password.

Translations

References

• access in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• access in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• access at OneLook Dictionary Search
• access in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.