Word of the Day - 02/09/26
accretion
/ə'kriʃən/(n.): an increase by natural growth or addition
The slow accretion of data over several years provided a comprehensive view of the market trends.
(n.): (astronomy) the formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases
Scientists study the process of planetary accretion to understand how Earth and other worlds formed.
(n.): (geology) an increase in land resulting from alluvial deposits or waterborne sediment
The delta grew significantly due to the annual accretion of silt carried by the river.
Word Origin
The word 'accretion' originates from the Latin 'accretionem', a noun of action from the past participle stem of 'accrescere', meaning 'to increase, grow'. 'Accrescere' itself is formed from the Latin prefix 'ad-' (meaning 'to' or 'toward', which assimilates to 'ac-' before 'c') and 'crescere' (meaning 'to grow').
Words with similar origins include 'crescent', 'increase', 'decrease', 'creation', and 'concrete', all deriving from the Latin 'crescere'. Other words formed with the assimilated prefix 'ac-' from 'ad-' include 'accelerate' and 'accumulate'.