Definition of accumulate

The word "accumulate" originates from the Latin words "ac", meaning "to" and "cumulare", meaning "to heap together". In Latin, the verb "accumulare" means "to heap up" or "to pile up". The word "accumulate" was borrowed into Middle English from Old French, where it was spelled "accumuler", and has been used in English since the 14th century. In its earliest recorded uses, "accumulate" referred specifically to the act of piling up or heaping together physical objects, such as goods, treasure, or wealth. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to include the idea of gathering or collecting intangible things, such as knowledge, experience, or skills. Today, "accumulate" is commonly used to describe the process of gathering or adding up something, whether it be physical or abstract.