Ac-crē'tion, n.
(-krē'shun), n. [Lat. accretio, Fr. accretion, from Lat. accrescere, to increase (Eng. accrue), from ad and crescere, to grow. See ACCRUE, INCREASE, and GROW.]
Sense 1. An increase by natural growth, especially the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts. Arbuthnot.
Sense 2. An increase by an accession of parts externally; as, an accretion of earth.
Sense 3. A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers or toes. Dana.
Sense 4. (Law.) (a.) 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 water-mark. (b.) Gain to an heir or legatee, by failure of a co-heir to the same succession, or a co-legatee of the same thing, to take his share. Wharton. Kent.