accrue

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈkɹu/ UK /əˈkɹuː/ See IPA manual

Freq #70922

Meanings

1

verb
To build up or accumulate gradually over time.

Interest accrues on the account every month.
2

verb
To come to someone as a benefit or advantage.

Several rewards accrued to those who joined early.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to build up or accumulate... add upaccumulate

More accrete increase

Opposites

amortize defer prepay

Word family

Forms accruedaccruesaccruing

Derived forms accruableaccrual accruementaccruerreaccrue

Related forms accresceaccrete accretion crescent

Simplified etymology

Accrue, recorded in late Middle English, ultimately derives from Latin crescere, meaning “to grow.” It belongs to the same word family as crescent, decrease, and increase.

Etymology

First attested in mid 15th century. From Middle English acrewen, borrowed from Old French acreüe, past participle of accreistre (“to increase”), from Latin accrēsco (“increase”), from ad (“in addition”) + crēscō (“to grow”).

*ḱer- Proto-Indo-European acrewen Middle English acreue Old French accrēsco Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# accrue

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈkɹu/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈkɹuː/
**Frequency rank:** 70922

## Meanings
1. To build up or accumulate gradually over time.
2. To come to someone as a benefit or advantage.

## Examples
- Interest accrues on the account every month.
- Several rewards accrued to those who joined early.

## Synonyms
- accrete
- accumulate
- increase

## Antonyms
- amortize
- defer
- prepay

## Derived Forms
- accruable
- accrual
- accruement
- accruer
- reaccrue

## Related Forms
- accresce
- accrete
- accretion
- crescent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱer-
- Root: acrewen
- Root: acreue
- Root: accrēsco

## Etymology
First attested in mid 15th century. From Middle English acrewen, borrowed from Old French acreüe, past participle of accreistre (“to increase”), from Latin accrēsco (“increase”), from ad (“in addition”) + crēscō (“to grow”).

## AI Etymology
Accrue is first attested in mid 15th century. It is from Middle English acrewen, borrowed from Old French acreüe, past participle of accreistre (“to increase”), from Latin accrēsco (“increase”), from ad (“in addition”) + crēscō (“to grow”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *ḱer- (Proto-Indo-European), acrewen (Middle English), acreue (Old French), and accrēsco (Latin). Current senses include to build up or accumulate gradually over time and to come to someone as a benefit or advantage. The wider family includes derived forms such as accruable, accrual, accruement, accruer, and reaccrue; related words such as accresce, accrete, accretion, and crescent.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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