ansammlung

Ansammlung is a German noun meaning the act or result of gathering together, i.e., a collection, accumulation, or crowd. It can refer to a physical pile of objects, a group of people, or an abstract aggregation such as data, facts, or evidence. The word is formed from the verb ansammeln (to collect, to amass) with the nominalizing suffix -ung. It is feminine: die Ansammlung; plural die Ansammlungen.

In everyday language the term is largely neutral and descriptive. It can denote a deliberate collection (eine Ansammlung von Büchern) or an unintentional mass (eine ungeordnete Ansammlung von Abfällen). Context often clarifies whether the sense is physical, social, or abstract.

In mathematics and science, more precise terms are typically preferred. For accumulation points in German, standard terms are Akkumulationspunkt or Häufungspunkt. The form Ansammlungspunkt can occur in some texts, but it is less common and may be considered nonstandard in strict mathematical usage. Nonetheless, Ansammlung can be used in broader scientific contexts to describe a cluster or gathering of data, signals, or phenomena.

Related terms include Sammelung (a collection, often implying some organization or systematic gathering) and Ansammlung as a more general, mass-oriented sense. The choice between Ansammlung, Sammelung, and related words depends on nuance: Ansammlung emphasizes mass or crowding, Sammelung emphasizes intentional collection or compilation.

See also: Häufung, Häufungspunkt, Akkumulation, Sammelung.