accumulation
Americannoun
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act or state of accumulating; state of being accumulated.
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that which is accumulated; an accumulated amount, number, or mass.
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growth by continuous additions, as of interest to principal.
noun
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the act or process of collecting together or becoming collected
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something that has been collected, gathered, heaped, etc
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finance
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the continuous growth of capital by retention of interest or earnings
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(in computing the yield on a bond purchased at a discount) the amount that is added to each yield to bring the cost of the bond into equality with its par value over its life Compare amortization
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the taking of a first and an advanced university degree simultaneously
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of accumulation
First recorded in 1480–90, accumulation is from the Latin word accumulātiōn- (stem of accumulātiō ). See accumulate, -ion
Explanation
An accumulation is a gathering or increase of something over time. You might cross your fingers in hopes of a large accumulation of snow, so that you get a day off of school. Accumulation comes from a Latin word meaning "to heap up." The word continues to have this feeling of something growing upwards on top of itself, as if in a heap. If you keep putting money in the bank, the amount you have is the accumulation of your savings. If it is an interest bearing account, the interest will accumulate, making the total even larger.
Vocabulary lists containing accumulation
Blizzard! Words to Learn on a Snow Day
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The Water Cycle - Introductory
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Earth Science - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The financial-advisory industry has traditionally been built around accumulation for younger savers rather than the distinct needs of retirees managing 30-plus years of withdrawals.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
It also slows the accumulation of experience, scale and supply chain maturity that drive costs down over time.
From Salon • May 9, 2026
You read it and you can feel the effort, the accumulation of language, and the insistence that this was a difficult case.
From Slate • May 8, 2026
The rating reflects Argentina’s structurally improved fiscal and external balances, progress on economic reforms, and improved prospects for FX reserve accumulation, Fitch said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
“No. You need to spend it. All of it. But we’ll need rules. Like no accumulation of assets.”
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
