Accumulate Definition

ə-kyo͝omyə-lāt

accumulated, accumulates, accumulating

verb

accumulated, accumulates, accumulating

To gather or cause to increase; amass.

We accumulated enough wood for a fire. Nearly all bank accounts accumulate interest.

American Heritage

To pile up, collect, or gather together, esp. over a period of time.

Webster's New World

To be the site for (a gradually increasing mass), especially as a result of disuse or neglect.

Those old books are accumulating dust.

American Heritage

To mount or pile up; increase.

Snow is accumulating on the roads.

American Heritage

To heap up in a mass; to pile up; to collect or bring together; to amass.

He wishes to accumulate a sum of money.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

adjective

(poetic, rare) Collected; accumulated.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Origin of Accumulate

From Latin accumulātus, perfect passive participle of accumulō (“amass, pile up”), formed from ad (“to, towards, at”) + cumulō (“heap”), from cumulus (“a heap”).

From Wiktionary
Latin accumulāre accumulāt- ad- ad- cumulāre to pile up (from cumulus heap keuə- in Indo-European roots)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
First attested in the 1520's.

From Wiktionary