1. (

• accretion ,
• accumulation

) an increase by natural growth or addition ;

2. (

• accretion

) something contributing to growth or increase; "he scraped away the accretions of paint"; "the central city surrounded by recent accretions" ;

3. (

• accretion ,

) (astronomy) the formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases ;

4. (

• accretion ,

) (biology) growth by addition as by the adhesion of parts or particles ;

5. (

• accretion ,

) (geology) an increase in land resulting from alluvial deposits or waterborne sediment ;

6. (

• accretion

) (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) ;