the act or process of assimilating, or of absorbing information, experiences, etc.: the need for quick assimilation of the facts.
the state or condition of being assimilated, or of being absorbed into something.
the process of adapting or adjusting to the culture of a group or nation, or the state of being so adapted: assimilation of immigrants into American life.
Physiology. the conversion of absorbed food into the substance of the body.
Botany. the total process of plant nutrition, including photosynthesis and the absorption of raw materials.
Sociology. the merging of cultural traits from previously distinct cultural groups, not involving biological amalgamation.
Phonetics. the act or process by which a sound becomes identical with or similar to a neighboring sound in one or more defining characteristics, as place of articulation, voice or voicelessness, or manner of articulation, as in [gram-pah]/ˈgræm pɑ/ for grandpa.Compare dissimilation(def 2).
Origin of assimilation
First recorded in 1595–1605,assimilation is from the Latin word assimilātiōn- (stem of assimilātiō). See assimilate, -ion
Related formsan·ti·as·sim·i·la·tion, noun, adjectivenon·as·sim·i·la·tion, nounre·as·sim·i·la·tion, noun
early 15c., "act of assimilating," from Old French assimilacion, from Latin assimilationem (nominative assimilatio) "likeness, similarity," noun of action from past participle stem of assimilare (see assimilate). Psychological sense is from 1855.
The process by which a person or persons acquire the social and psychological characteristics of a group: “Waves of immigrants have been assimilated into the American culture.”
