accumulate[ə kyo̵̅o̅m′yo̵̅o̅ lāt′, -yə-]
- The definition of accumulate means to gather together over time.
An example of accumulate would be the amount of snow on the ground building up during a winter storm.
A storm has caused snow to accumulate on the sidewalk.
verbac·cu·mu·lat·ed, ac·cu·mu·lat·ing, ac·cu·mu·lates
- To gather or cause to increase; amass: We accumulated enough wood for a fire. Nearly all bank accounts accumulate interest.
- To be the site for (a gradually increasing mass), especially as a result of disuse or neglect: Those old books are accumulating dust.
Origin of accumulateLatin accumulāre, accumulāt- : ad-, ad- + cumulāre, to pile up (from cumulus, heap; see keu&schwa;- in Indo-European roots).
(third-person singular simple present accumulates, present participle accumulating, simple past and past participle accumulated)
- (poetic, rare) Collected; accumulated.