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Glite Dictionary
to de-access

to de-access

9.9
To remove an item from a museum collection to sell or throw it away
  • verb
  • /diːˈæksɛs/
  • Jargon
translation icon : desincorporar
  • The art gallery decided to de-access several lesser-known paintings to make room for new acquisitions.

Examples

  • They needed additional funding, so the museum board voted to de-access select pieces from the collection.

  • The museum decided to de-access some of its older exhibits.

  • After careful review, the librarian chose to de-access outdated reference materials from the archives.

  • Why did they de-access that painting?

  • After careful review, the librarian chose to de-access outdated reference materials from the archives.

  • The art gallery decided to de-access several lesser-known paintings to make room for new acquisitions.

  • They needed additional funding, so the museum board voted to de-access select pieces from the collection.

Synonyms

to dispose
vsto de-access
149 3.4

Get rid of something by throwing it away, selling it, or giving it to someone

is a formal, collection-specific removal rather than informal personal disposal
to divest
vsto de-access
  • Specialized
10 7.5

Sell off an asset or part of a business

is removal from cultural collections rather than selling financial assets
to deaccession
vsto de-access
  • Formal
9.9

To remove an item from a museum or library collection and sell it to raise money for new items

is removal from collections that may sell or dispose items without fundraising focus

How Removed

to de-access
  • Jargon
9.9
to dispose
149 3.4
to withdraw
159 3.5
to keep
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

de-access infinitive
de-accessed past
de-accessed past participle
de-accessing present participle
de-accesses third person singular

Morphology

de-access = access (semi-transparent) = de + access

The formation 'de-' + 'access' is semantically clear (removal of access), but the specific professional meaning — formal removal from a collection by sale or disposal — is specialized and not fully predictable by a typical learner.

Etymology

De-access combines the prefix de- meaning 'remove' or 'reverse' and access meaning 'to get to' or 'enter'. So to de-access an item in a library or museum is to formally 'take it out' of the collection, usually by selling it or getting rid of it.