Legal Definitions - accumulative

ACCUMULATIVE

accumulative (uh-kyoo-myuh-lay-tiv or -luh-tiv), adj. Increasing by successive addition; cumulative.

• The accumulative effect of smoking can lead to serious health problems over time.
• She saved a little bit of money each month, and over time her savings accumulated to a significant amount.

The first example illustrates how the term accumulative refers to something that increases over time through successive additions. In this case, smoking can lead to health problems that build up over time. The second example shows how savings can accumulate over time through regular additions, such as monthly deposits.