The term "cumulative effect" refers to the impact that a series or combination of events, actions, or conditions have when they are added together. It describes how small individual effects can accumulate and result in something much greater than their sum. This concept is often used in economics, where it refers to the total impact of multiple policies or initiatives taken over time. In other contexts, such as environmental science, it may refer to the combined effect of several pollutants on a system or ecosystem. Overall, "cumulative effect" highlights how seemingly small individual actions can have significant and far-reaching consequences when they are accumulated over time.