ACCUMULATIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does accumulative mean? 

• ACCUMULATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective ACCUMULATIVE has 2 senses:

1. increasing by successive addition

2. marked by acquiring or amassing

  Familiarity information: ACCUMULATIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ACCUMULATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Increasing by successive addition

Synonyms:

accumulative; cumulative

Context example:

the eventual accumulative effect of these substances

Similar:

additive (characterized or produced by addition)

Derivation:

accumulate (collect or gather)

accumulate (get or gather together)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Marked by acquiring or amassing

Context example:

we live in an accumulative society

Similar:

acquisitive (eager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas)

Derivation:

accumulate (collect or gather)

accumulate (get or gather together)

 Context examples 

Perhaps, under such circumstances, madam and gentlemen, said Mr. Micawber, you will do me the favour to submit yourselves, for the moment, to the direction of one who, however unworthy to be regarded in any other light but as a Waif and Stray upon the shore of human nature, is still your fellow-man, though crushed out of his original form by individual errors, and the accumulative force of a combination of circumstances?

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)