cumulative

The definition of cumulative is something that is increasing or getting bigger with more additions.

(adjective)

An example of cumulative is the increasing amount of water in a pool that is being filled.

See cumulative in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

increasing in effect, size, quantity, etc. by successive additions; accumulated: cumulative interest
taking successive additions into account: a cumulative average
designating or of preferred stock that pays regular dividends which, if not paid on the scheduled date, accumulate and take priority over dividend payments to other classes of the company's stock
Law designating additional evidence that gives support to earlier evidence

Origin: see cumulate

Related Forms:

See cumulative in American Heritage Dictionary 4

cu·mu·la·tive

adjective

Increasing or enlarging by successive addition.
Acquired by or resulting from accumulation.
Of or relating to interest or a dividend that is added to the next payment if not paid when due.
Law
a. Supporting the same point as earlier evidence: cumulative evidence.
b. Imposed with greater severity upon a repeat offender: cumulative punishment.
c. Following successively; consecutive: cumulative sentences.
Statistics
a. Of or relating to the sum of the frequencies of experimentally determined values of a random variable that are less than or equal to a specified value.
b. Of or relating to experimental error that increases in magnitude with each successive measurement.