Accumulare

Accumulare is a Latin verb meaning to heap up, to gather together, or to amass. It denotes the action of bringing things, resources, or forces into a growing collection, and can be used for literal piling as well as figurative buildup, such as wealth, debts, or information.

Etymology and form: The verb is formed from cumulus, meaning a heap, with the prefix ad- meaning toward, producing accumulāre. The assimilation of the prefix yields the characteristic accumul- stem. The word belongs to the first conjugation and appears in the infinitive as accumulāre, with related forms built on the same stem (accumulō, accumulāre, accumulāvī, accumulātum).

Grammar and principal parts: Accumulare is a standard 1st-conjugation verb. Principal parts are accumulō, accumulāre, accumulāvī, accumulātum. Present active indicative forms include accumulō, accumulās, accumulāt, with plural forms accus, accumulāmus, accumulātis, accumulant. The imperfect is accumulābam, the perfect accumulāvī, and the supine accumulātum. Passive and deponent forms follow regular patterns of the 1st conjugation.

Usage: In classical Latin, accumulāre takes direct objects in the accusative, such as pecūniam accumulāre “to accumulate money” or copias accumulāre “to amass forces.” The verb can describe literal piling as well as gradual buildup over time, and it appears in contexts ranging from economics to military logistics.

Legacy and cognates: The English verb accumulate derives from Latin accumulāre via Old French and Middle French, with related nouns such as accumulation and accumulator. The term is commonly used in linguistic and historical discussions of Latin vocabulary, as well as in modern Latin teaching and translation.