assimilate

¹as·sim·i·late

verb \ə-ˈsi-mə-ˌlāt\

as·sim·i·lat·edas·sim·i·lat·ing

Definition of ASSIMILATE

transitive verb

1

a : to take in and utilize as nourishment : absorb into the system

b : to take into the mind and thoroughly comprehend

2

a : to make similar

b : to alter by assimilation

c : to absorb into the culture or mores of a population or group

3

: compare, liken

intransitive verb

: to be taken in or absorbed : to become assimilated

— as·sim·i·la·tor \-ˌlā-tər\ noun

Usage Discussion of ASSIMILATE

When assimilate is followed by a preposition, transitive senses 2a and 2c commonly take to and into and less frequently with; 2b regularly takes to; sense 3 most often takes to and sometimes with. The most frequent prepositions used with the intransitive sense are to and into.

Examples of ASSIMILATE

1. Children need to assimilate new ideas.
2. There was a lot of information to assimilate at school.
3. Schools were used to assimilate the children of immigrants.
4. They found it hard to assimilate to American society.
5. Many of these religious traditions have been assimilated into the culture.
6. Over time, most of the inhabitants of the “Little Italies” … assimilated rapidly to the society … —Stephan Thernstrom, Times Literary Supplement, 26 May 2000
7. Those groups were eagerly assimilating into the larger culture and rejecting their own cuisine … —Corby Kummer, New York Times Book Review, 16 Aug. 1998
8. The mistaken attempts to assimilate Lindner's paintings into the Pop Art movement in the 1960s … —Hilton Kramer, Arts & Antiques, January 1997

Origin of ASSIMILATE

Middle English, from Medieval Latin assimilatus, past participle of assimilare, from Latin assimulare to make similar, from ad- + simulare to make similar, simulate

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to ASSIMILATE

Synonyms

analogize, compare, bracket, equate, liken

Antonyms

contrast

Related Words

associate, connect, couple, link; allude, refer, relate; equal, match, parallel

Near Antonyms

misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

Rhymes with ASSIMILATE

abbreviate, abominate, accelerate, accentuate, accommodate, acculturate, accumulate, adjudicate, adulterate, affiliate, agglomerate, alienate, alleviate, alliterate, amalgamate, ameliorate, amyl nitrate, annihilate, annunciate, anticipate, apostolate, appreciate, appropriate, approximate, arpeggiate, articulate, asphyxiate, assassinate, asseverate, associate, at any rate, attenuate, authenticate, barbiturate, bicarbonate, calumniate, capacitate, capitulate, catholicate, certificate, coagulate, coelenterate, collaborate, commemorate, commiserate, communicate, compassionate, concatenate, conciliate, confabulate, confederate, conglomerate, congratulate, consolidate, contaminate, cooperate, coordinate, corroborate, deactivate, debilitate, decapitate, decelerate, decerebrate, deconcentrate, deconsecrate, decorticate, decrepitate, de-escalate, defibrinate, defoliate, degenerate, deliberate, delineate, demodulate, denominate, depopulate, depreciate, deracinate, deregulate, desegregate, desiderate, detoxicate, devaluate, diaconate, dilapidate, discriminate, disintegrate, disseminate, dissimulate, dissociate, domesticate, effectuate, ejaculate, elaborate, electroplate, eliminate, elucidate, emaciate, emancipate, emasculate, encapsulate, enumerate, enunciate, episcopate, equivocate, eradicate, etiolate, evacuate, evaluate, evaporate, eventuate, eviscerate, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, excited state, excogitate, excoriate, exfoliate, exhilarate, exonerate, expatiate, expatriate, expectorate, expostulate, expropriate, extenuate, exterminate, extrapolate, facilitate, felicitate, fish or cut bait, garrison state, gesticulate, habilitate, habituate, hallucinate, humiliate, hydrogenate, hypothecate, illuminate, impersonate, inactivate, inaugurate, incarcerate, incinerate, incorporate, incriminate, indoctrinate, inebriate, infatuate, infuriate, ingratiate, ingurgitate, initiate, inoculate, inseminate, insinuate, instantiate, intercalate, interpolate, interrelate, interrogate, intimidate, intoxicate, invalidate, investigate, invigorate, irradiate, Italianate, Korea Strait, lanceolate, legitimate, luxuriate, mandarinate, manipulate, matriarchate, matriculate, Merthiolate, necessitate, negotiate, noncandidate, obliterate, officiate, Orange Free State, orientate, originate, oxygenate, participate, particulate, patriarchate, patriciate, perambulate, peregrinate, perpetuate, pontificate, precipitate, predestinate, predominate, prefabricate, premeditate, preponderate, prevaricate, procrastinate, prognosticate, proliferate, propitiate, proportionate, quadruplicate, quintuplicate, reciprocate, recriminate, recuperate, redecorate, reduplicate, reeducate, refrigerate, regenerate, regurgitate, reincarnate, reintegrate, reiterate, rejuvenate, remunerate, repatriate, repudiate, resuscitate, retaliate, reticulate, revaluate, reverberate, scholasticate, second estate, self-flagellate, self-immolate, self-pollinate, seventy-eight, sextuplicate, Singapore Strait, sophisticate, subordinate, substantiate, syllabicate, tergiversate, transliterate, triangulate, vanity plate, variegate, vaticinate, vituperate, vociferate

²as·sim·i·late

noun \ə-ˈsi-mə-lət, -ˌlāt\

Definition of ASSIMILATE

: something that is assimilated (see ¹assimilate)

Origin of ASSIMILATE

(see ¹assimilate)

First Known Use: 1935

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate