From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcumulativecu‧mu‧la‧tive /ˈkjuːmjələtɪv $ -leɪtɪv/ ●○○ adjective INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETCincreasing gradually as more of something is added or happens Learning is a cumulative process.cumulative effect (of something) Depression is often caused by the cumulative effects of stress and overwork.
Examples from the Corpus
cumulative• During a period of sleep deprivation the effects of sleeplessness may become cumulative.• The cumulative effect of all of these efforts would ultimately turn the tide.• This situation, although made worse by the war, was a cumulative problem dating from the period of colonial dependency.• The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the power of this cumulative selection as a fundamentally nonrandom process.• The essential difference between single-step selection and cumulative selection is this.• The figure illustrates the cumulative ulcer free survival curves of patients randomised to each drug.cumulative effect (of something)• Drugs which are rapidly inactivated have advantages, because the risk of overdosage is minimized and there are no cumulative effects.• During the reign of Charles the Bald, however, such developments not only continued but showed cumulative effects.• Some have argued that change has a cumulative effect.• But the cumulative effect is gridlock.• The cumulative effect of all of these efforts would ultimately turn the tide.• The cumulative effect of this conscientious blandness denied Lisa a distinctive personality, which limited the fervor of its users.• The cumulative effect provides an even more impressive testimonial.• Their cumulative effect would give rise to the microwave background radiation.From Longman Business Dictionarycumulativecu‧mu‧la‧tive /ˈkjuːmjələtɪv-leɪtɪv/ adjective increasing gradually and having a greater effect as more is added over a period of timeThe state is already saddled with a cumulative deficit of about $73 million.The company faces cumulative losses approaching $7 billion.Origin cumulative (1600-1700) Latin cumulatus, past participle of cumulare; → ACCUMULATE 