accrete

Definition

To grow together, combine; to fuse.

Etymology

Back-formation from accretion.

Example Sentences

• "Astronomers believe the Earth began to accrete more than 4.6 billion years ago."
• "According to the reigning hypothesis, about 4.5 billion years ago, shortly after Earth had accreted down into a sphere from its little slub of circumsolar material, another newborn planet [Theia], still shaky on its feet, slammed obliquely into Earth with terrifying force."
• "Chris Ormel, an astronomer at the University of Amsterdam, and his colleagues recently calculated that protoplanets began to form at the snow line around the star, then grew quickly by accreting pebbles."