Cumulatively: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• 'Cumulatively' comes from the Latin word 'cumulare', meaning 'to heap up' or 'accumulate'.
• The term began appearing in English in the 17th century, reflecting the growing complexity of mathematics and science.
• Its use in English expanded significantly during the 20th century with the rise of statistics and cumulative data analysis.

Mathematics

• In statistics, cumulative frequency refers to the sum of the frequencies for all values up to a certain point.
• Cumulative distributions can describe probabilities, showing how a variable adds up to a total over a range.
• In finance, cumulative returns measure the total change in the investment's value over time, factoring in all gains and losses.

Environmental Studies

• Cumulative impact assessments are vital in environmental science, evaluating how small individual changes can affect ecosystems over time.
• Climate change discussions often focus on cumulative emissions, stressing the importance of total greenhouse gases released over the years.
• Wildlife conservation often involves assessing cumulative habitat loss and its effects on species populations.

Psychology

• Cumulative experiences shape our behaviors and attitudes, suggesting all past encounters play a role in our present actions.
• The theory of cumulative stress indicates that small, non-threatening stressors can lead to significant emotional and psychological impacts over time.
• Learning practices that build on cumulative knowledge help students retain information better by reinforcing concepts gradually.

Literature

• Cumulative storytelling builds layers, where each part adds depth to the narrative, often used in children's literature for engaging tales.
• In poetry, cumulative structures can create rhythm and enhance meaning by stacking phrases in a repeating format.
• Classic literature, such as epics, often uses a cumulative style to build tension and develop characters through recurrent themes.

At rank #26,274, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.

• ...
• 26271 polyphonic
• 26272 smilingly
• 26273 budded
• 26274 cumulatively
• 26275 stillborn
• 26276 vaccinia
• 26277 repositioning
• ...