Accretion vs. Accrue — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 5, 2024
Accretion involves the gradual growth or increase by the addition of new layers or particles, while accrue refers to the accumulation or increase of something, typically money or benefits, over time.
Difference Between Accretion and Accrue
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Accretion describes a process where materials gather together naturally, often seen in geological or astronomical contexts, as when soil deposits build up or stars form from dust. On the other hand, accrue typically involves the growth of intangible items like interest or rights, accumulating progressively under specific conditions.
In geology, accretion can lead to the expansion of landmasses through sediment deposition, whereas in finance, accrue refers to the way interest adds up in an account, reflecting incremental financial growth.
Astronomical accretion occurs when material from a surrounding disk accumulates onto a celestial body, enhancing its mass. Conversely, benefits or resources accrue in a legal context when they are earned over time, becoming applicable at a future date.
In biology, accretion can describe the process of growth or increase in size by gradual external addition, like coral reefs. In contrast, accrue is used in business to describe how unpaid invoices can represent accrued revenues, emphasizing the conceptual accumulation.
Accretion might also refer to the slow and steady accumulation of minute amounts, useful in describing physical changes. Accrue, however, is often used in contexts where the accumulation impacts financial statements or legal rights, indicating a more abstract form of growth.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The process of growth by gradual additions of layers or particles.
The process of accumulation of something, usually periodic gains.
Context
Commonly used in geology, astronomy, and biology.
Frequently used in finance, law, and business.
Examples
Landmass expansion, star formation.
Interest earnings, rights accumulation.
Nature of Growth
Physical and tangible.
Often intangible and abstract.
Measurement
Measured in physical dimensions (e.g., thickness, area).
Measured in quantitative terms like money or benefits.
Compare with Definitions
Accretion
In biology, refers to growth in size due to addition of material.
The accretion of the coral reef has been steady over the decades.
Accrue
In law, to refer to the natural growth of rights or privileges over time.
The employee's benefits accrue with each year of service.
Accretion
The act of growth or increase by a gradual accumulation of additional layers or matter.
The delta experienced significant accretion due to the deposition of sediments.
Accrue
To accumulate or receive payments or benefits over time.
Interest on the savings account accrues monthly.
Accretion
In finance, a type of growth seen in investment portfolios through reinvestment.
His wealth saw accretion through careful stock selections.
Accrue
In accounting, to recognize revenue or expenses before cash changes hands.
Revenues accrue when earned, regardless of when the payment is received.
Accretion
A process in astronomy where planets form from gas and dust.
Accretion disks around stars are crucial for planet formation.
Accrue
Used to describe the accumulation of knowledge or skills.
Expertise in this field accrues with years of practice.
Accretion
Used to describe slow geographical changes.
The gradual accretion of soil along the riverbank created a new land area.
Accrue
Often relates to the growth of something valuable in an abstract sense.
With each successful project, his professional reputation continued to accrue.
Accretion
Growth or increase in size by gradual external addition, fusion, or inclusion.
Accrue
To come to one as a gain, addition, or increment
Interest accruing in my savings account.
Accretion
Something contributing to such growth or increase
"the accretions of paint that had buried the door's details like snow" (Christopher Andreae).
Accrue
To increase, accumulate, or come about as a result of growth
Common sense that accrues with experience.
Accretion
(Biology) The growing together or adherence of parts that are normally separate.
Accrue
To come into existence as a claim that is legally enforceable.
Accretion
Slow addition to land by deposition of water-borne sediment.
Accrue
To accumulate over time
I have accrued 15 days of sick leave.
Accretion
An increase of land along the shores of a body of water, as by alluvial deposit.
Accrue
(intransitive) To increase, to rise
Accretion
(Astronomy) An increase in the mass of a celestial object by its gravitational capture of surrounding interstellar material.
Accrue
(intransitive) To reach or come to by way of increase; to arise or spring up because of growth or result, especially as the produce of money lent.
Accretion
The act of increasing by natural growth; especially the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts; organic growth.
Accrue
To be incurred as a result of the passage of time.
The monthly financial statements show all the actual but only some of the accrued expenses.
Accretion
The act of increasing, or the matter added, by an accession of parts externally; an extraneous addition.
An accretion of earth
A mineral augments not by growth, but by accretion.
Accrue
(transitive) To accumulate.
He has accrued nine sick days.
Accretion
Something added externally to promote the external growth of an item.
Accrue
To become an enforceable and permanent right.
Accretion
Concretion; coherence of separate particles.
The accretion of particles to form a solid mass
Accrue
(obsolete) Something that accrues; advantage accruing
Accretion
(biology) A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers or toes.
Accrue
To increase; to augment.
And though power failed, her courage did accrue.
Accretion
(geology) The gradual increase of land by deposition of water-borne sediment.
Accrue
To come to by way of increase; to arise or spring as a growth or result; to be added as increase, profit, or damage, especially as the produce of money lent.
The great and essential advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press.
Accretion
(legal) The adhering of property to something else, by which the owner of one thing becomes possessed of a right to another; generally, gain of land by the washing up of sand or sail from the sea or a river, or by a gradual recession of the water from the usual watermark.
Accrue
Something that accrues; advantage accruing.
Accretion
(legal) Gain to an heir or legatee; failure of a coheir to the same succession, or a co-legatee of the same thing, to take his share percentage.
Accrue
Grow by addition;
The interest accrues
Accretion
(astrophysics) The formation of planets and other bodies by collection of material through gravity.
Accrue
Come into the possession of;
The house accrued to the oldest son
Accretion
The act of increasing by natural growth; esp. the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts; organic growth.
Accretion
The act of increasing, or the matter added, by an accession of parts externally; an extraneous addition; as, an accretion of earth.
A mineral . . . augments not by growth, but by accretion.
To strip off all the subordinate parts of his narrative as a later accretion.
Accretion
Concretion; coherence of separate particles; as, the accretion of particles so as to form a solid mass.
Accretion
A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers or toes.
Accretion
The adhering of property to something else, by which the owner of one thing becomes possessed of a right to another; generally, gain of land by the washing up of sand or soil from the sea or a river, or by a gradual recession of the water from the usual watermark.
Accretion
An increase by natural growth or addition
Accretion
Something contributing to growth or increase;
He scraped away the accretions of paint
The central city surrounded by recent accretions
Accretion
(astronomy) the formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases
Accretion
(biology) growth by addition as by the adhesion of parts or particles
Accretion
(geology) an increase in land resulting from alluvial deposits or water-borne sediment
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)
Common Curiosities
What is an example of accretion in the financial sector?
In finance, accretion can refer to the gradual increase in the value of a bond, especially when it is bought at a discount and increases to its par value at maturity.
Can skills really accrue, and how?
Yes, skills can accrue as incremental experience and learning build over time, enhancing proficiency and expertise in a particular field.
How does accretion impact the environment?
Environmental accretion can be beneficial, such as in wetlands where sediment accretion can help maintain ecosystem stability against rising sea levels.
What drives accretion in an accretion disk around a black hole?
Accretion in a disk around a black hole is driven by gravitational forces pulling material towards the black hole, where it heats up and emits radiation as it accumulates.
What is biological accretion?
Biological accretion refers to the growth of organisms through the addition of natural materials, such as the formation of shells in mollusks or the increase in bone mass in vertebrates.
How is accretion different from erosion?
Accretion is the process of adding materials to a landform or object, leading to growth, while erosion involves the wearing away of material from a landform or object.
Is accrual the same as accrue?
"Accrual" is the noun form referring to the action or process of accruing, typically used to describe the accumulation itself, while "accrue" is the verb form that describes the act of accumulating.
What happens when vacation time accrues in employment?
When vacation time accrues in employment, it means that employees earn a certain amount of vacation time per worked period, which they can use at a later date.
Does accrue require specific conditions to take effect?
Typically, accrue does require specific conditions, especially in legal and financial contexts, where rules or contracts specify how and when accumulation occurs.
Can accrue be used in a negative context?
Yes, accrue can be used negatively, such as when debts or liabilities accrue, meaning they accumulate over time and may lead to financial strain.
Are there technologies that simulate accretion processes?
Yes, various scientific models and simulations exist that mimic accretion processes, particularly in astrophysics and geology, to study the formation of celestial bodies and landforms.
How do accretionary prisms form in geology?
Accretionary prisms form in subduction zones where sediments from a subducting oceanic plate accumulate onto the overriding plate, compacting and uplifting into geological structures.
What is the impact of accretion on property rights?
Accretion can affect property rights, especially if land accretes along waterfront properties, potentially expanding property boundaries.
How does one calculate accrue interest in banking?
To calculate accrued interest in banking, you multiply the principal amount by the interest rate and the fraction of the period since the last payment.
Can accrue be applied to digital data?
Yes, digital data can accrue in systems, often as data accumulates over time in databases or through continuous user activity.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
