# accumulator

/əkˈjumjəˌɫeɪtɝ/ (US) · /ɐkjˈuːmjʊlˌeɪtɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/accumulator
Updated: 2026-05-30

## Definition

a person or thing that collects and stores something over time. In computing, it is a special part of a processor that holds data while it is being worked on.

For teachers: a person or device that collects, stores, or accumulates something, such as data, energy, or interest. In computer architecture, it refers to a register used to store intermediate arithmetic and logic results.

## Examples

- The processor uses an accumulator to store the final result.
- The bank account acts as an interest accumulator, growing the principal amount every month.
- In early mechanical calculators, the accumulator was a physical register that held the running total of a calculation before it was transferred to the output display.

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