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Added 9 October 2026

assimilate

/əˈsɪm.ɪ.leɪt/ verb

Latin root: assimilātus Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about assimilate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Take up mentally.
he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of his tribe
Become similar to one's environment.
Immigrants often want to assimilate quickly
Make similar.
This country assimilates immigrants very quickly

Origin

First attested in the early 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; Middle English assimilaten (“to become similar; to make like”), from assimilat(e) (“assimilated”, also used as the past participal of assimilaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Late Latin assimilātus, variant of Latin assimulātus (“made similar, imitated”), perfect passive participle of assimulō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ad + simulō (“to imitate, copy”), from similis (“like, similar”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“together, one”). Doublet of assemble.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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