assimilation

noun

as·​sim·​i·​la·​tion ə-ˌsi-mə-ˈlā-shən 

1

a

: an act, process, or instance of assimilating

The clash of lifestyles has made assimilation difficult.

b

: the state of being assimilated

2

: the incorporation or conversion of nutrients into protoplasm that in animals follows digestion and absorption and in higher plants involves both photosynthesis and root absorption

3

phonetics : change of a sound in speech so that it becomes identical with or similar to a neighboring sound

the usual assimilation of \z\ to \sh\ in the phrase his shoe

4

: the process of receiving new facts or of responding to new situations in conformity with what is already available to consciousness

Did you know?

What is the difference between acculturation, assimilation, and amalgamation?

Acculturation is one of several forms of culture contact, and has a couple of closely related terms, including assimilation and amalgamation. Although all three of these words refer to changes due to contact between different cultures, there are notable differences between them. Acculturation is often tied to political conquest or expansion, and is applied to the process of change in beliefs or traditional practices that occurs when the cultural system of one group displaces that of another. Assimilation refers to the process through which individuals and groups of differing heritages acquire the basic habits, attitudes, and mode of life of an embracing culture. Amalgamation refers to a blending of cultures, rather than one group eliminating another (acculturation) or one group mixing itself into another (assimilation).

Did you know?

Linguistic assimilation?

There are a handful of words in English that are examples of themselves, representatives of the very things that they describe. One such word is sesquipedalian ("having many syllables" or "characterized by the use of long words"). Another example, in a slightly less obvious fashion, is assimilate. When used as a technical word to describe a certain process of language change, assimilate refers to the habit that some sounds have of becoming more like the sounds that are close to them in a word (see assimilation, sense 3). For instance, the original spelling of immovable in English was inmovable, and over time the n began to sound more like its neighboring m, to the point that it actually became that letter.

Something similar occurred before assimilate was a word in English. Assimilate comes from the Latin prefix ad- (meaning "to, towards") and similis ("similar"). Over time the d of the prefix ad- assimilated itself with the s of similis.

Examples of assimilation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Beginning in the 1860s and over the next hundred years, many Native children across the country were forced to attend Indian boarding schools, often run by the Catholic Church, as a means of assimilation. —Nicholas Cannariato, New York Times, 3 May 2025

This is where the dissonance begins to crack open: Sherald’s figures are wholly themselves, and yet the abstraction of color risks a kind of visual assimilation. —Najha Zigbi-Johnson, Essence, 30 Apr. 2025

After escaping the abusive clutches of an Indian assimilation boarding school in season one, Teonna, who is of Crow descent, was hunted by the headmaster, Father Renaud (Sebastian Roché), for the majority of season two. —Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025

How important was cultural assimilation for you as a Jewish immigrant in this country at such an early age? —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English assimilacioun "absorption of nutrients," borrowed from Medieval Latin assimilātiōn-, assimilātiō "act of making like, digestion of food, resemblance," going back to Latin assimulātiōn-, assimulātiō "similarity in form, comparison, act of feigning," from assimilāre, assimulāre "to feign, assume the likeness of, cause to resemble, imitate, portray, liken (to)" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at assimilate entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing assimilation

• anti-assimilation

Rhymes for assimilation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

assimilation

noun

as·​sim·​i·​la·​tion ə-ˌsim-ə-ˈlā-shən 

: the act or process of assimilating

the assimilation of immigrants

especially : the bodily process of changing nutrients (as of digested food) into cells and tissues

Medical Definition

assimilation

noun

as·​sim·​i·​la·​tion ə-ˌsim-ə-ˈlā-shən 

1

a

: an act, process, or instance of assimilating

b

: the state of being assimilated

2

: the incorporation or conversion of nutrients into protoplasm that in animals follows digestion and absorption and in higher plants involves both photosynthesis and root absorption

3

: the process of receiving new facts or of responding to new situations in conformity with what is already available to consciousness compare apperception