accretion

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: excretion, decretion, accretive, secretion, acception, accredition, incretion, accretions, accreting, cretion

Antonyms: excretion, decretion, accretive, secretion, acception, accredition, incretion, accretions, accreting, cretion

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

{{lb|en|uncountable|also|figurative}} {{U|increase}} by natural [[growth]], especially the [[gradual]] increase of [[organic#Adjective|organic]] [[body#Noun|bodies]] by the [[internal#Adjective|internal]] [[addition]] of [[matter#Noun|matter]]; organic growth; also, the [[amount#Noun|amount]] of such growth. {{defdate|from early 17th c.}}
{{lb|en|uncountable}} (Gradual) increase by an [[external#Adjective|external]] addition of matter; {{lb|en|countable}} an [[instance#Noun|instance]] of this.
{{lb|en|uncountable|also|figurative}} ''Followed by {{m|en|of}}'': external addition of matter to a [[thing]] which [[cause#Verb|causes]] it to grow, especially in amount or [[size]].
{{lb|en|uncountable}} The process of separate [[particle]]s [[aggregate|aggregating]] or [[coalesce|coalescing]] together; [[concretion]]; {{lb|en|countable}} a thing [[form#Verb|formed]] in this manner.
{{lb|en|countable|chiefly|figurative}} Something [[gradually]] added to or [[grow|growing]] on a thing [[externally]].
{{lb|en|land law|uncountable}} Increase in [[property]] by the addition of other property to it (for example, [[gain]] of [[land]] by {{l|en|alluvion||the [[deposition]] of [[sediment]] by a [[river]] or [[sea]]}} or {{l|en|dereliction||[[recession]] of [[water]] from the usual [[watermark]]}}, or [[entitlement]] to the [[product]]s of the property such as [[interest]] on [[money]]); or by the property owner [[acquire|acquiring]] another person’s [[ownership]] rights; [[accession]]; {{lb|en|countable}} an instance of this.
{{lb|en|inheritance law|uncountable}} Increase of an [[inheritance]] to an [[heir]] or [[legatee]] due to the [[share]] of a [[coheir|co-heir]] or [[colegatee|co-legatee]] being added to it, because the latter person is legally unable to [[inherit]] the share.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.