Accretion vs. Accumulation — What's the Difference?

Growth or increase in size by gradual external addition, fusion, or inclusion.

The acquisition or gradual gathering of something

Something contributing to such growth or increase

The act of gathering or amassing, as into a heap or pile

(Biology) The growing together or adherence of parts that are normally separate.

The process of growing into a large amount or heap

Slow addition to land by deposition of water-borne sediment.

An amount that has accumulated or been accumulated

An increase of land along the shores of a body of water, as by alluvial deposit.

The act of amassing or gathering, as into a pile.

(Astronomy) An increase in the mass of a celestial object by its gravitational capture of surrounding interstellar material.

The process of growing into a heap or a large amount.

The act of increasing by natural growth; especially the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts; organic growth.

A mass of something piled up or collected.

The act of increasing, or the matter added, by an accession of parts externally; an extraneous addition.

(legal) The concurrence of several titles to the same proof.

Something added externally to promote the external growth of an item.

(accounting) The continuous growth of capital by retention of interest or savings.

Concretion; coherence of separate particles.

(finance) The action of investors buying an asset from other investors when the price of the asset is low.

(biology) A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers or toes.

The practice of taking two higher degrees simultaneously, to reduce the length of study.

(geology) The gradual increase of land by deposition of water-borne sediment.

The act of accumulating, the state of being accumulated, or that which is accumulated; as, an accumulation of earth, of sand, of evils, of wealth, of honors.

(legal) The adhering of property to something else, by which the owner of one thing becomes possessed of a right to another; generally, gain of land by the washing up of sand or sail from the sea or a river, or by a gradual recession of the water from the usual watermark.

The concurrence of several titles to the same proof.

(legal) Gain to an heir or legatee; failure of a coheir to the same succession, or a co-legatee of the same thing, to take his share percentage.

An increase by natural growth or addition

(astrophysics) The formation of planets and other bodies by collection of material through gravity.

Several things grouped together or considered as a whole

The act of increasing by natural growth; esp. the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts; organic growth.

The act of accumulating

The act of increasing, or the matter added, by an accession of parts externally; an extraneous addition; as, an accretion of earth.

(finance) profits that are not paid out as dividends but are added to the capital base of the corporation

Concretion; coherence of separate particles; as, the accretion of particles so as to form a solid mass.

A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers or toes.

The adhering of property to something else, by which the owner of one thing becomes possessed of a right to another; generally, gain of land by the washing up of sand or soil from the sea or a river, or by a gradual recession of the water from the usual watermark.

An increase by natural growth or addition

Something contributing to growth or increase;

(astronomy) the formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases

(biology) growth by addition as by the adhesion of parts or particles

(geology) an increase in land resulting from alluvial deposits or water-borne sediment

(law) an increase in a beneficiary's share in an estate (as when a co-beneficiary dies or fails to meet some condition or rejects the inheritance)