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Added 9 October 2026

dissimilate

/dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/ verb

Latin root: dissimilātus First recorded: 1841 Wiktionary

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

Become dissimilar by changing the sound qualities.
These consonants dissimilate
Make dissimilar; cause to become less similar.
Become dissimilar or less similar.
These two related tribes of people gradually dissimilated over time

Origin

First attested in 1841; borrowed from Medieval Latin dissimilātus, perfect passive participle of dissimilō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), hypercorrected form of Classical Latin dissimulō, from dis- + simulō, from similis (“similar, the same as”); the vocalism was perhaps influenced by assimilate, compare dissimulate. Cognate with French dissimiler; doublet of dissemble, dissimulate, and dissimule.

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

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