assimilation

American  

[uh-sim-uh-ley-shuhn] / əˌsɪm əˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of assimilating, or of absorbing information, experiences, etc..

   the need for quick assimilation of the facts.

2. the state or condition of being assimilated, or of being absorbed into something.

3. the process of adopting the language and culture of a dominant social group or nation, or the state of being socially integrated into the culture of the dominant group in a society.

   assimilation of immigrants into American life.

4. Physiology. the conversion of absorbed food into the substance of the body.

5. Botany. the total process of plant nutrition, including photosynthesis and the absorption of raw materials.

6. Sociology. the merging of cultural traits from previously distinct cultural groups, not involving biological amalgamation.

7. 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 for grandpa.

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assimilation Scientific  

/ ə-sĭm′ə-lā′shən /

1. The conversion of nutrients into living tissue; constructive metabolism.

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assimilation Cultural  

1. 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.”

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antiassimilation
  noun
• reassimilation
  noun
• nonassimilation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of assimilation

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin assimilātiōn- (stem of assimilātiō ). See assimilate, -ion

Explanation

Whether you’re talking about ideas or nutrients, assimilation describes the act of taking something in and absorbing it fully. Assimilation comes from the Latin assimilationem, meaning “likeness" or "similarity.” People of different backgrounds and beliefs undergo assimilation when, through living together, they come to see themselves as part of a larger community, or when a small group is absorbed into, and made part of, a bigger group, such as the Irish immigrants in America in the 19th century. Assimilation can also refer to the absorption of new ideas into existing knowledge.

Example Sentences

Even many immigration hawks traditionally argued that newcomers could become fully American through assimilation into constitutional values and institutions.

From Salon • May 11, 2026

But assimilation is both survival and validation for Joan, who returns to school as “Jo Hunt,” now played by Grace.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Michael Carrick had a neat way of describing Benjamin Sesko's assimilation into life at Manchester United.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

But a time jump, moving from a shtetl during World War I to 1930s Warsaw, pushes the film into more unexpected territory, as it encompasses issues of immigration, adoption and assimilation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

Following Kennedy’s assassination, President Johnson professed his commitment to the goal of “the full assimilation of more than twenty million Negroes into American life,” and ensured the passage of comprehensive civil rights legislation.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander