cumulative

[kyoo-myuh-luh-tiv, -ley-tiv]

adjective

1. increasing or growing by accumulation or successive additions.

   the cumulative effect of one rejection after another.

2. formed by or resulting from accumulation or the addition of successive parts or elements.

3. of or relating to interest or dividends that, if not paid when due, become a prior claim for payment in the future.

   cumulative preferred stocks.

cumulative

/ ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv /

adjective

1. growing in quantity, strength, or effect by successive additions or gradual steps

   cumulative pollution

2. gained by or resulting from a gradual building up

   cumulative benefits

3. finance

   1. (of preference shares) entitling the holder to receive any arrears of dividend before any dividend is distributed to ordinary shareholders

   2. (of dividends or interest) intended to be accumulated if not paid when due

4. statistics

   1. (of a frequency) including all values of a variable either below or above a specified value

   2. (of error) tending to increase as the sample size is increased

Other Word Forms

• cumulatively adverb
• cumulativeness noun
• uncumulative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cumulative¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; cumulate + -ive

Example Sentences

With Thursday’s move, the BSP has lowered its policy rate by a cumulative 175 basis points in the current easing cycle that began in August last year.

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Senior officers will be able to consider the "cumulative impact" of previous protests, the Home Office said, which could mean they instruct organisers to hold events elsewhere if a site has seen repeated demonstrations.

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Then the school information is combined for cumulative data analysis.

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Math is ruthlessly cumulative, the report says, where gaps in early years tend to compound years later, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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In press releases, the Dodgers regularly note the team has “the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history.”

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Related Words

• aggregate 
• increasing