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From Latin assimulātus (made similar, imitated), perfect passive participle of assimulō, from ad + simulō (imitate, copy).



assimilate (third-person singular simple present assimilates, present participle assimilating, simple past and past participle assimilated)

  1. To incorporate nutrients into the body, especially after digestion.
    Food is assimilated and converted into organic tissue.
    • Isaac Newton
      Hence also animals and vegetables may assimilate their nourishment.
  2. To incorporate or absorb knowledge into the mind.
    The teacher paused in her lecture to allow the students to assimilate what she had said.
    • Merivale
      His mind had no power to assimilate the lessons.
  3. To absorb a group of people into a community.
    The aliens in the science-fiction film wanted to assimilate human beings into their own race.
  4. To compare a thing to something similar.
  5. To bring to a likeness or to conformity; to cause a resemblance between.
    • John Bright
      to assimilate our law to the law of Scotland
    • Cowper
      Fast falls a fleecy shower; the downy flakes / Assimilate all objects.


  • (To incorporate or absorb knowledge into the mind): process
  • (absorb a group of people into a community): integrate






  1. second-person plural present of assimilare
  2. third-person singular imperative of assimilare




  1. first-person plural present active imperative of assimilō