cumulate

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UK/ˈkjuː.mjʊˌleɪt/Canada, US/ˈkju.mjəˌleɪt/UK/ˈkjuːmjʊlət/

verb

To accumulate; to amass.

Similar
amassheap upsee Thesaurus:pile upaccumulateconglomeratepile upgather
OriginLatin cumulātus ← Proto-Indo-European *ḱuh₁mósder.? →
UncommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

verbcumulate (third-person singular simple present cumulates, present participle cumulating, simple past and past participle cumulated)

present singular third person cumulates · participle present cumulating · participle past cumulated · past cumulated

  1. transitiveTo accumulate; to amass.

    Synonyms: amass, heap up, see Thesaurus:pile up

  2. intransitiveTo be accumulated.
  3. alternativeobsoleteAlternative form of cumulated, past participle of cumulate.
adjectivecumulate (comparative more cumulate, superlative most cumulate)

comparative more cumulate · superlative most cumulate

  1. Accumulated; agglomerated; amassed.

    A cumulate or heaped fulness, when it overflows the continent.

    1633, Thomas Adams, A commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written by the blessed apostle St. Peter, chapter II
nouncumulate (countable and uncountable, plural cumulates)

plural cumulates

  1. countableuncountablegeographyAn igneous rock formed by the accumulation of crystals from a magma by either settling or floating.

    Layered cumulates are prominent within virtually all of the larger intrusions.

    1996, R. G. Cawthorn, Layered Intrusions, page 331

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo accumulate; to amass.

Similar
amassheap upsee Thesaurus:pile up

More synonyms by meaning

verbincrease in amount by collecting or gathering

Similar
accumulateconglomeratepile upgatheramass
Broader
increase
Also see
accumulateamassbuild upcoalesceconglomerategathermergepile upstack

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱewh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱuh₁mósder.?
  3. Latincumulus
  4. Latincumulō
  5. Latincumulātus
  6. Englishcumulate

First attested in 1534; borrowed from Latin cumulātus, perfect passive participle of cumulō (“to pile up”), see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3). Sporadic use of the participle up until Early Modern English.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian натрупвам, трупам
  • натрупвам (natrupvam)accumulate
  • трупам (trupam)accumulate
  • събирам (săbiram)accumulate
  • натрупан (natrupan)accumulated
  • събран (săbran)accumulated
German kumulieren, kumulieren
  • kumulierenaccumulate
  • kumulierenbe accumulated
Cite this entry
APA

cumulate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cumulate

MLA

“cumulate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cumulate. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cumulate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cumulate.

Source: cumulate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.