/euh sim'euh lay"sheuhn/ , n.
1. the act or process of assimilating; state or condition of being assimilated.
2. Physiol. the conversion of absorbed food into the substance of the body.
3. Bot. the total process of plant nutrition, including photosynthesis and the absorption of raw materials.
4. Sociol. the merging of cultural traits from previously distinct cultural groups, not involving biological amalgamation.
5. Phonet. 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/ for grandpa. Cf. dissimilation (def. 2).
[ 1595-1605; assimilation- (s. of assimilatio ). See ASSIMILATE, -ION ]