noun
- An increase by natural growth or addition.
- synonyms: accumulation
- Something contributing to growth or increase.
- usage: "he scraped away the accretions of paint"; "the central city surrounded by recent accretions"
- 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 waterborne 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. ().
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). accretion. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/accretion/definitions/1242571 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "accretion" http://smartdefine.org/accretion/definitions/1242571 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, accretion, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/accretion/definitions/1242571>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "accretion" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/accretion/definitions/1242571> |