accretionary
Growing by addition
Accretionary describes something formed by gradual accumulation or growth.
The term appears most often in geology, where an accretionary wedge or prism is a mass of sediment scraped off a descending tectonic plate and piled against the overriding plate.
More broadly, accretionary processes build up material over time: accretionary growth, accretionary deposits.
Collected mass over time
- expansionIncrease in scope
- augmentationAct of adding more
- enlargementIncrease in size
- amplificationIncrease in intensity
aggregation · buildup · gradual · compounding · snowballing · amassing · gathering · collecting
Particles settling in liquid
- layeringForming successive strata
- stratificationDivision into distinct levels
- laminationBonding sheets together
- beddingMaterials covering a mattress
sedimentation · deposition · strata · banding · sequence · horizons · superposition · accumulation
Particles settling in liquid
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- orogenyGeological mountain formation
- wedgeTapered splitting tool
prism · convergence · trench · strata · metamorphism · faults · crust · mantle
Preceding planetary formation
- planetesimalPrimordial orbiting rock
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- diskFlat circular object
- cosmicPertaining to the universe
interstellar · astrophysics · cosmology · gas · protostar · gravity · orbit · coalescing
accumulation
Collected mass over time
- expansionIncrease in scope
- augmentationAct of adding more
- enlargementIncrease in size
amplification · aggregation · buildup · gradual · compounding · snowballing · amassing · gathering · collecting · agglomeration
sediment
Particles settling in liquid
- layeringForming successive strata
- stratificationDivision into distinct levels
- laminationBonding sheets together
bedding · sedimentation · deposition · strata · banding · sequence · horizons · superposition · accumulation · concretion
sediment
Particles settling in liquid
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- orogenyGeological mountain formation
wedge · prism · convergence · trench · strata · metamorphism · faults · crust · mantle · seismic
protoplanetary
Preceding planetary formation
- planetesimalPrimordial orbiting rock
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- diskFlat circular object
cosmic · interstellar · astrophysics · cosmology · gas · protostar · gravity · orbit · coalescing · aggregation
accretionaryerosive
Causing gradual wearing away
erosional · ablative · eroding · subtractive · reductive
accretionarydecreasing
Becoming smaller or fewer
diminishing · shrinking · contracting · reducing · receding
- accretionary wedgeSediment pile at subduction zones