Accretion meaning

ə-krēshən
accretions
See word origin
Frequency:
Accretion is defined as the part of something that has been added.

An example of an accretion is the garage someone may build on his home.

noun
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(geology) The gradual extension of land by natural forces, as in the addition of sand to a beach by ocean currents, or the extension of a floodplain through the deposition of sediments by repeated flooding.
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(law) The addition of soil to land by gradual, natural deposits.
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In property law, the gradual increase in land through natural processes; for example, the creation of land caused by the deposit of sediment on a shoreline of a river or ocean. The new land becomes the property of the owner of the property to which it is attached. See also alluvion, reliction, and avulsion.
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In succession law, the increase in an heir or legatee’s interest in property when a co-heir or co-legatee dies before the property vests, rejects his inheritance or legacy, fails to comply with a condition to be met before vesting, or otherwise becomes incapable of taking the property.
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The definition of accretion is the state of having gone through extension or addition of length or overall size.

An example of accretion is a extra part of a fairy tale added over many years of re-telling.

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Accretion means an extension or addition of length or overall size.

An example of an accretion is when a highway is lengthened.

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(biology) The growing together or adherence of parts that are normally separate.
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(astronomy) An increase in the mass of a celestial object by its gravitational capture of surrounding interstellar material.
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Growth in size, esp. by addition or accumulation.
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A growing together of parts normally separate.
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Accumulated matter.

The accretion of earth on the shore.

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A part added separately; addition.
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A whole resulting from such growth or accumulation.
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(astronomy) The accumulation of additional mass in a celestial object by the drawing together of interstellar gas and surrounding objects by gravity.
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The act of increasing by natural growth; especially the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts; organic growth.
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The act of increasing, or the matter added, by an accession of parts externally; an extraneous addition; as, an accretion of earth.

A mineral ... augments not by growth, but by accretion.

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Something added externally to promote growth the external growth of an item.
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Concretion; coherence of separate particles; as, the accretion of particles so as to form a solid mass.
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(biology) A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers or toes.
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(geology) The gradual increase of land by deposition of water-borne sediment.
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(law) 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.
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(law) 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.
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Origin of accretion

  • Latin accrētiō accrētiōn- from accrētus past participle of accrēscere to grow accrue

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Latin accretio, from ad (“to”) + crēscō (“grow”).

    From Wiktionary

  • From Wiktionary

  • First attested in the 1610's.

    From Wiktionary

Accretion Sentence Examples

  • Its seaward accretion is estimated at 6 ft.

  • The opening of railway communication with London in 1906 resulted in a considerable accretion of residential population.

  • They are merely craters raised above the level of the surrounding country by the gradual accretion of the soft oily mud, which overflows at frequent intervals whenever a discharge of gas occurs.

  • But in a world of slow accretion, it was enough.

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Related articles

Words near accretion in the Dictionary