direct-access: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

In computing, they are often used synonymously (e.g., RAM = Random-Access Memory). 'Direct-access' is a broader category that includes 'random-access', but both imply the ability to go directly to a location without reading preceding data.

When used as a compound modifier before a noun (e.g., 'a direct-access file'), yes, hyphenate it. When used as a noun phrase after a verb (e.g., 'to have direct access'), it's typically written without a hyphen.

Yes. It can be used in business (direct-access to executives), healthcare (direct-access to physical therapy), or services (direct-access to a motorway), always retaining the core meaning of 'unmediated' or 'without going through a sequence'.

The primary technical opposite is 'sequential access', where data must be read in a fixed order (like an old cassette tape).

Referring to a method of retrieving or managing data that allows immediate reading/writing at any location without sequential searching.

Direct-access is usually technical / formal in register.

Direct-access: in British English it is pronounced /daɪˌrekt ˈæk.ses/, and in American English it is pronounced /dəˌrekt ˈæk.ses/ or /daɪˌrekt ˈæk.ses/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.