Cumulative
/ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv/noun
Increasing or growing by successive additions.
Did you know?Cumulative comes from Latin roots tied to *heaping* and *piling*, the same ancient idea that once described physical mounds before it became a word for growth, pressure, and destiny.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
cumulāre
“to heap up, pile, or increase”
Late Latin
Latin
cumulātīvus
“serving to heap up or accumulate”
Old French
Old French
cumulatif
“adding by degrees; cumulative”
Middle English
English
cumulatif
“accumulating or increasing by additions”
Modern English
English
cumulative
“increasing by successive additions”
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