Where does “cumulative” come from?

Cumulative derives from Latin cumulativus, formed from the adjective-forming suffix -ivus added to cumulus (a heap or pile), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root ḱewh₁- meaning to swell or heap up.

cumulative (English): Incorporating all current and previous data up to...

Definitions

  1. Incorporating all current and previous data up to...

Ancestry of “cumulative”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-iveAn adjective suffix signifying relating or...
2Middle English-yfA suffix designating adjectives, adverbs and...
3Old French-if-ive
4Latin-īvusAdjective suffix
5Proto-Indo-European-iHwós—
6Proto-Indo-European-wósCreates adjectives from verb stems

Words derived from “cumulative”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -wós →