Cumulative
KYOOM-yuh-luh-tiv
/ˈkjuːmjələtɪv/
Increasing or growing by successive additions; formed by the accumulation of parts.
In academics, it often refers to grades or knowledge that build up over time, such as a 'cumulative GPA' or a 'cumulative exam' covering all material.
The story behind the word. The word 'cumulative' comes from the Latin verb 'cumulare,' which means 'to heap up' or 'to pile up.' Imagine gathering a pile of things, one on top of the other, gradually increasing the total. This is the essence of 'cumulative': something that grows by successive additions, building up over time. In academics, it's about how your learning and grades 'heap up' throughout a course or your entire academic career.
Word relationships
- Accumulative: Very similar, often interchangeable, emphasizing the process of gathering or amassing.
- Aggregate: Refers to a total formed by combining several separate elements, often used in statistics.
- Individual: Separate and distinct from others.
- Isolated: Standing alone; separate from other things.
Word family
- accumulate (verb): To gather or acquire an increasing number or quantity of.
- accumulation (noun): The acquisition or gradual gathering of something.
Collocations
- cumulative GPA
- cumulative effect
- cumulative exam
- cumulative score
- cumulative total
Example sentences
- "Her cumulative GPA, calculated over four years, determined her eligibility for the honors program." The final exam was cumulative, covering all chapters from the entire semester.
- "The course included a cumulative project that required students to apply knowledge from every unit." The cumulative effect of small daily efforts can lead to significant long-term progress.
Memory hook
'CUMULATIVE' means 'CUMULUS' clouds, which are built up of many small parts. Clouds pile up
When not to use
Avoid using 'cumulative' for single, isolated events or scores. It implies a process of adding up over time.
Fun facts
- The term 'cumulative' is also used in finance for 'cumulative dividends' or 'cumulative preferred stock.'
- In statistics, a 'cumulative frequency' is the total frequency of a value and all values below it in a data set.
Related words
Also appears in
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