accumulate

[ uh-kyoo-myuh-leyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

1. to gather or collect, often in gradual degrees; heap up:

   to accumulate wealth.

verb (used without object)

, ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

1. to gather into a heap, mass, cover, etc.; form a steadily increasing quantity:

   Snow accumulated in the driveway. His debts kept on accumulating.

accumulate

/ əˈkjuːmjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to gather or become gathered together in an increasing quantity; amass; collect

Derived Forms

• acˈcumulatively, adverb
• acˈcumulative, adjective
• acˈcumulativeness, noun
• acˈcumulable, adjective

Other Words From

• ac·cumu·la·ble adjective
• nonac·cumu·lating adjective
• over·ac·cumu·late verb overaccumulated overaccumulating
• preac·cumu·late verb (used with object) preaccumulated preaccumulating
• reac·cumu·late verb reaccumulated reaccumulating
• super·ac·cumu·late verb (used without object) superaccumulated superaccumulating
• unac·cumu·la·ble adjective
• unac·cumu·lated adjective
• well-ac·cumu·lated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of accumulate¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin accumulātus “heaped up,” past participle of accumulāre “to heap up,” from ac- ac- + cumul(us) “heap” ( cumulus ( def ) ) + -āre, infinitive verb suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of accumulate¹

C16: from Latin accumulātus, past participle of accumulāre to heap up, from cumulus a heap

Example Sentences

Real understanding and actual truth accumulate more insidiously.

From The Daily Beast

Bolstered by the momentum of Savage, Masters continued to accumulate up-and-coming conservative talent.

From The Daily Beast

This means that their gene pools stagnate and accumulate increasingly harmful mutations.

From The Daily Beast

To accumulate wealth so fast and on such a scale, it is necessary to eliminate independent law enforcement.

From The Daily Beast

Until early November it was very easy to accumulate a large amount of money by selling, and re-selling highly modified cars.

From The Daily Beast

These were frequently buried beneath deposits of stalagmite and other materials that must have taken a long time to accumulate.

From Project Gutenberg

Legends accumulate here around the persons of Arthur and his knights.

From Project Gutenberg

The weather has turned to rain again, and the country is losing the snow, whilst the trenches accumulate the rain and mud badly.

From Project Gutenberg

What a vocabulary one could accumulate, if from six to eighteen he added only two words a day!

From Project Gutenberg

To accumulate as quickly as possible the amount of money needed to enable us to lead an idle life.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accrue
• acquire
• add to
• assemble
• collect
• compile
• concentrate
• expand
• gain
• grow
• hoard
• increase
• pile up
• rack up
• swell