dissimulate

verb

dis·​sim·​u·​late (ˌ)di-ˈsim-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce dissimulate (audio)
dissimulated; dissimulating

transitive verb

: to hide under a false appearance
smiled to dissimulate her urgencyAlice Glenday

intransitive verb

: dissemble
a politician's ability to dissimulate
dissimulation noun
dissimulator noun

Examples of dissimulate in a Sentence

as an actress she had been trained to dissimulate, so she had no trouble hiding her true feelings offstage as well

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dissimilaten, borrowed from Latin dissimulātus, past participle of dissimulāre "to conceal the identity of, feign," from dis- dis- + simulāre, similāre "to pretend, assume the appearance of by one's conduct, imitate" — more at simulate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissimulate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near dissimulate

Cite this Entry

“Dissimulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissimulate. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

dissimulate

verb
dis·​sim·​u·​late (ˈ)dis-ˈim-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce dissimulate (audio)
dissimulated; dissimulating
dissimulation noun
dissimulator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dissimulate

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