accrete

American  

[uh-kreet] / əˈkrit /

verb (used without object)

accreted, accreting

1. to grow together; adhere (usually followed by to ).

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verb (used with object)

accreted, accreting

1. to add, as by growth.

adjective

1. Botany. grown together.

accrete British  

/ əˈkriːt /

verb

1. to grow or cause to grow together; be or become fused

2. to make or become bigger, as by addition

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Etymology

Origin of accrete

First recorded in 1775–85; back formation from accretion

Explanation

To accrete is to gradually gather into a pile or grow together into a mass. When tiny dust particles slowly accumulate under your bed, they may accrete into a big dust bunny. The word accrete describes how small particles or elements slowly come together to form a larger mass. This term is often used in science to explain processes like the formation of planets or stars, where bits of matter accrete and build up over time. You can also think of how snowflakes accumulate on the ground, creating a thick layer of snow. The word comes from the Latin accretus, which means "grown together," highlighting the natural process of accumulation in our universe.

Example Sentences

Once it’s there, minerals begin to accrete around this core.

From Salon • Aug. 19, 2024

Through the telescope, researchers were able to see signals from large amounts of gas that accumulate and accrete onto a mini-galaxy in the process of being built.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2024

“Essentially what will happen is that there’s an about 10-Jupiter-mass object that will form, and then that will accrete very rapidly,” Abel says.

From National Geographic • Sep. 14, 2023

“But actually this process, of how particles accrete, is really the beginning step of planet formation.”

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2023

If the ring were not so close to Saturn, this effect would not be so strong, and the particles could accrete, making small snowballs and eventually growing into satellites.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan