ASSIMILATE

I. verb (-lated; -lating) Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin assimilatus, past participle of assimilare, from Latin assimulare to make similar, from ad- + simulare to make similar, simulate Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to take in and utilize as nourishment ; absorb into the system, to take into the mind and thoroughly comprehend, 2. to make similar, to alter by assimilation, to absorb into the culture or mores of a population or group, compare , liken , intransitive verb to become ~d, assimilator noun Usage: When ~ is followed by a preposition, transitive senses 2a and 2c commonly take to and into and less frequently with; 2b regularly takes to; sense 3 most often takes to and sometimes with. The most frequent prepositions used with the intransitive sense are to and into. II. noun Date: 1935 something that is ~d