as·sim·i·late

(ə-sĭm′ə-lāt′)

v. as·sim·i·lat·ed, as·sim·i·lat·ing, as·sim·i·lates

v.tr.

1. Physiology

a. To consume and incorporate (nutrients) into the body after digestion.

b. To transform (food) into living tissue by the process of anabolism; metabolize constructively.

2. To incorporate and absorb into the mind: assimilate knowledge.

3. To make similar; cause to resemble.

4. Linguistics To alter (a sound) by assimilation.

5. To absorb (immigrants or a culturally distinct group) into the prevailing culture.

v.intr.

To become assimilated.

[Middle English assimilaten, from Latin assimilāre, assimilāt-, to make similar to : ad-, ad- + similis, like; see sem- in Indo-European roots.]

as·sim′i·la′tor n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

assimilator - someone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs

learner, scholar

individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"

memoriser, memorizer - a person who learns by rote

quick study, sponge - someone able to acquire new knowledge and skills rapidly and easily; "she soaks up foreign languages like a sponge"

dweeb, grind, nerd, swot, wonk - an insignificant student who is ridiculed as being affected or boringly studious

tutee - learns from a tutor