accumulative

Accumulative is an adjective describing something that tends to accumulate or that involves the gradual buildup of quantities over time. It is formed from the verb accumulate, which comes from the Latin accumulare, derived from cumulus meaning “heap” or “pile.”

The term is used across scientific, economic, and everyday contexts to denote processes or effects that grow through repeated additions. Examples include accumulative costs, accumulative risk, or accumulative effects that become significant after multiple exposures. In pharmacology, accumulative toxicity refers to increasing toxicity from repeated dosing. In environmental science, accumulative pollution describes pollutants that build up in an ecosystem over time. In psychology or sociology, accumulative disadvantage describes how small disadvantages can compound to larger disparities.

Differences between accumulative and cumulative are subtle and frequently blurred in ordinary language. Accumulative often emphasizes the ongoing process that leads to buildup, while cumulative tends to describe the total amount resulting from successive contributions. In precise technical writing, the distinction may guide interpretation, but both terms are related and sometimes used interchangeably.

See also: accumulate, accumulation, cumulative.