acculturate

American  

[uh-kuhl-chuh-reyt] / əˈkʌl tʃəˌreɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

acculturated, acculturating

1. to alter by acculturation, through sharing and learning the cultural traits or social patterns of another group: Older computer users are hesitant to acculturate to social media communities.

   The families in my neighborhood are pretty acculturated, but they still celebrate holidays like their grandparents used to in Cuba.

   Older computer users are hesitant to acculturate to social media communities.

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acculturate British  

/ əˈkʌltʃəˌreɪt /

verb

1. (of a cultural or social group) to assimilate the cultural traits of another group

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Other Word Forms

• acculturation
  noun
• acculturative
  adjective
• nonacculturated
  adjective
• unacculturated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of acculturate

First recorded in 1930–35; back formation from acculturation

Example Sentences

Today we have flipped the bit: We treat machines just as mechanically as we ever did, but we are increasingly reliant on them to babysit, educate, and acculturate our children.

From Slate • Dec. 24, 2019

The duty of new migrants is to integrate, acculturate and adhere to Australian values of democracy, tolerance and fairness.

From The Guardian • Aug. 15, 2018

Within the walls of our middle school, these students found safety and an environment where they could process their trials, learn English and begin to acculturate to life in the United States.

From Washington Post • Jun. 19, 2018

As part of the government’s effort to acculturate her, she puts in a few unpaid hours at a perfume shop in the downtown mall.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2015

Immigrants were encouraged to acculturate as quickly as they could—meaning that they must learn a new language, giving up traditions, customs, heritage, etc., in order to blend and assimilate into the general population.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin