accessibility
Accessibility (noun) means the degree to which a place, product, service or website can be used by people with disabilities. Example: “The app failed a basic accessibility audit because none of the images had alt text.”
How to Use Accessibility
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow easily everyone, including disabled people, can use or reach something.
Neutral. Now most often used in the disability and design sense, especially in tech and public services.
Often shortened to a11y in tech writing — the 11 letters between the a and the y.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The app failed a basic _____ audit because none of the images had alt text.
Etymology
From Latin accessibilis, from accedere 'to approach', from ad- 'to' + cedere 'to go'.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related Words
Rhymes for accessibility
See all rhymes for accessibility →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between accessibility and usability?
Usability is about how easy something is for anyone to use. Accessibility is about whether people with disabilities can use it at all — including those using screen readers, keyboards only, or captions. A product can be highly usable for most people and still fail on accessibility.
What is the accessibility setting on my phone?
It is the menu that adjusts the device for different needs — text size, screen readers such as VoiceOver or TalkBack, colour filters, captions and touch sensitivity. On both iPhone and Android it sits inside the main Settings app.
What does web accessibility mean in practice?
It means building pages that work for assistive technology: text alternatives for images, enough colour contrast, full keyboard navigation and correct heading structure. The WCAG guidelines are the standard most organisations are measured against.