dissimilation

American  

[dih-sim-uh-ley-shuhn] / dɪˌsɪm əˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of making or becoming unlike.

2. Phonetics. the process by which a speech sound becomes different from or less like a neighboring sound, as pilgrim from Latin peregrīnus and purple from Old English purpure or disappears entirely because of a like sound in another syllable, as in the pronunciation for governor.

3. Biology. catabolism.

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dissimilation British  

/ ˌdɪsɪmɪˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of making dissimilar

2. phonetics the alteration or omission of a consonant as a result of being dissimilated

3. biology a less common word for catabolism

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Etymology

Origin of dissimilation

First recorded in 1820–30; dis- ¹ + (as)similation

Example Sentences

The result has been widespread public furor over crime, cultural dissimilation and fears of terrorism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 11, 2016

It may be noted here that, apart from dissimilation, the sounds l, n, r, have a general tendency to become confused, e.g.

From The Romance of Names by Weekley, Ernest

The female name Annabel is a dissimilation of Amabel, whence Mabel.

From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest

For in these cases the supposed dissimilation is followed not by a decrease but by an increase of functional activity.

From Response in the Living and Non-Living by Bose, Jagadis Chandra, Sir

The modified or positive response in nerve is thus held to be due to assimilation; after continuous stimulation, this process is supposed to be transformed into one of dissimilation, with the attendant negative response.

From Response in the Living and Non-Living by Bose, Jagadis Chandra, Sir

Related Words

• attitude
• performance
• show