accession

1 of 2

noun

ac·​ces·​sion ik-ˈse-shən 

ak-

1

a

: the act or process by which someone rises to a position of honor or power

the accession of a new queen

a politician's accession to power

Queen Victoria's accession to the throne/crown occurred in 1837.

b

: an act of coming near or to something : approach, admittance

2

: something added : acquisition

the museum's latest accessions

3

a

: increase by something added

b

: acquisition of additional property (as by growth or increase of existing property)

4

: the act of assenting or agreeing

5

a

: the act of becoming joined : adherence

b

: the act by which one nation becomes party to an agreement already in force between other powers

6

: a sudden fit or outburst : access

accessional

ik-ˈsesh-nəl 

-ˈse-shə-nᵊl

ak-

adjective

accession

2 of 2

verb

accessioned; accessioning; accessions

transitive verb

: to record in order of acquisition

Each book in the library had been carefully accessioned.

Synonyms

Noun

• acquisition

Examples of accession in a Sentence

Noun

the accession of Queen Elizabeth II

an exhibit of the museum's latest accessions

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On July 19, Princess Gabriella of Monaco appeared with her family to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her father Prince Albert's accession to the throne at Place du Palais. —Janine Henni, People.com, 21 July 2025

Ai-Da previously painted Queen Elizabeth II for the 2022 Platinum Jubilee marking the 70th anniversary of the late royal’s accession, and the portraits of mother and son stood side by side at the Geneva unveiling. —Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025

Verb

The American Museum of Natural History accessioned its Banksy and put it on display in its Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. —Alex Scordelis, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025

This increase is due to a higher number of specimens accessioned. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French accession "acquisition, increase" (Old French also "attack of an illness"), borrowed from Latin accessiōn-, accessiō "approach, onset, paroxysm, addition, accessory," from accēdere "to approach" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at accede

Verb

derivative of accession entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Verb

1887, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for accession

• aggression
• compression
• concession
• confession
• depression
• digression
• discretion
• expression
• impression
• obsession
• oppression
• possession

Kids Definition

accession

noun

ac·​ces·​sion

ik-ˈsesh-ən,

ak-

1

: something added : acquisition

2

: increase by something added

3

: the act of agreeing

accession to a proposal

4

: the act of coming to office or power

the accession of a king

Legal Definition

accession

noun

ac·​ces·​sion ik-ˈse-shən, ak- 

1

: increase by something added

specifically : the mode of acquiring property by which the owner of property (as a building, land, or cattle) becomes the owner of an addition by growth, improvement, increase, or labor

2

: the act of assenting or agreeing