assimilate

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈsɪməˌleɪt/ UK /əˈsɪm.ɪ.leɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #30256

Meanings

1

verb
To take in and fully understand new information or ideas.

It takes time to assimilate everything you learn in the first week.
2

verb
To become part of a community or culture, or to make someone part of it.

Many immigrants work hard to assimilate into their new country.
3

verb
To absorb digested food into the body.

The body assimilates nutrients from food during digestion.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to take in and fully... absorbtake inprocess

2 verb · to become part of a... integrate

3 verb · to absorb digested food... absorb

Word family

Forms assimilatedassimilatesassimilatingassimilatorunassimilated

Derived forms assimilatableassimilativeassimilatorybioassimilateddeassimilatedisassimilatenonassimilatedphotoassimilatereassimilateunassimilated

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

assimilate quickly
to become integrated into a surrounding culture or group within a short time

Verb + adverb

Etymology

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.

*sem- Proto-Indo-European assimilaten Middle English assimilātus la-lat assimulātus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# assimilate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈsɪməˌleɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈsɪm.ɪ.leɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 30256

## Meanings
1. To take in and fully understand new information or ideas.
2. To become part of a community or culture, or to make someone part of it.
3. To absorb digested food into the body.

## Examples
- It takes time to assimilate everything you learn in the first week.
- Many immigrants work hard to assimilate into their new country.
- The body assimilates nutrients from food during digestion.

## Derived Forms
- assimilatable
- assimilative
- assimilatory
- bioassimilated
- deassimilate
- disassimilate
- nonassimilated
- photoassimilate
- reassimilate
- unassimilated

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *sem-
- Root: assimilaten
- Root: assimilātus
- Root: assimulātus

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
Assimilate is 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. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *sem- (Proto-Indo-European), assimilaten (Middle English), assimilātus (la-lat), and assimulātus (Latin). Current senses include to take in and fully understand new information or ideas, to become part of a community or culture, or to make someone part of it, and to absorb digested food into the body. The wider family includes derived forms such as assimilatable, assimilative, assimilatory, bioassimilated, and deassimilate.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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