cumulation

Cumulation is the act or result of accumulating quantities, events, or effects over time. The term implies a growing total produced by successive additions and is often used in contrast to a single, isolated occurrence. The word derives from Latin cumulus, a heap, and entered English through legal, mathematical, and scientific usage.

In data analysis, cumulation can refer to the aggregation of measurements or the construction of cumulative forms such as the cumulative sum and the cumulative distribution. In statistics, cumulative concepts describe how a quantity accumulates as one moves along a sequence or variable, providing a way to summarize history or probability up to a point.

In law and policy, cumulation denotes the combining of separate matters, penalties, or powers for purposes of judgment or regulation. For example, cumulation of sentences can describe how multiple criminal terms are treated together. In environmental assessment, cumulative effects refer to the overall impact of multiple actions when considered together, rather than in isolation.

In medicine and health contexts, cumulative exposure or dose refers to the total amount of a substance received over time, which may bear on risk assessments and safety limits. In finance and business, cumulation can describe capital that grows through repeated contributions or the compounding of gains, producing a larger total over time.

Although closely related to accumulation, cumulation is often used in specialized or formal contexts. In everyday language, accumulation is the more common term, while cumulation remains preferred in certain legal, statistical, or policy discussions.