Akkumulation

Akkumulation is the act or process of accumulating something—gradually increasing a quantity by successive additions, deposits, or storages. The term comes from Latin accumulare and has been adopted into German to describe a range of processes in science, economics, rhetoric, and everyday life.

In rhetoric, Akkumulation (often called Anhäufung) is a figure of speech that piles up words, phrases, or clauses related in meaning to intensify a point or create emphasis. It can involve listing several synonyms or related ideas in close succession.

In economics and the social sciences, accumulation denotes the growth of assets or capital over time, typically through saving, investment, and reinvestment. In biology and environmental science, bioakkumulation (bioaccumulation) refers to the gradual buildup of substances in an organism, which in some cases increases through the food chain (biomagnification). In geology, sediment accumulation describes the deposition and consolidation of material that adds to geological formations and layers.

In computing and information management, data accumulation means the collection and storage of information over a period, influencing analytics, memory usage, and data governance. Across disciplines, the term conveys a directional sense of gain or addition, from material deposits to knowledge or wealth.

See also: accumulation (disambiguation), accretion, aggregation.