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

The third installment of the illusionist franchise has now brought in a cumulative $36.8 million in the U.S. and Canada and a total of $109.4 million globally across its two weekends.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This integrated method uncovers rare mutations, evaluates cumulative genetic effects and reveals subtle patterns across the entire genome.

Read more on Science Daily

A theoretical investor who owned the ETF only days following a market down day would have earned a cumulative return of 851%.

Read more on Barron's

By Jan. 7 — the day the Eaton and Palisades fires roared to life — downtown had only received a cumulative 0.16 inches.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Foxconn said Wednesday that cumulative AI server revenue reached NT$1 trillion as of the end of September, after it ramped up rack shipments following major manufacturing and assembly breakthroughs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aggregate 
• increasing