Definition of "assimilate"

assimilate

/əˈsɪm.ɪ.leɪt/

verb
third-person singular simple present assimilates, present participle assimilating, simple past and past participle assimilated
1. (transitive) To incorporate nutrients into the body, especially after digestion.
  Quotations
  Hence also it may be, that the Parts of Animals and Vegetables preserve their several Forms, and assimilate their Nourishment; [...]
  a. 1728 (date written), Isaac Newton, “, published 1730, page 362
  In the living state, the body is observed to receive aliment; to assimilate a part; to evacuate what is redundant or useless; [...]
  1822, John Barclay, chapter I, in An Inquiry Into the Opinions, Ancient and Modern, Concerning Life and Organization‎, Edinburgh, London: Bell & Bradfute; Waugh & Innes; G. & W. B. Whittaker, section I, page 1
2. (transitive) To incorporate or absorb (knowledge) into the mind.
  Quotations
  His mind had no power to assimilate the lessons.
  1850, Charles Merivale, History of the Romans Under the Empire
3. (transitive) To absorb (a person or people) into a community or culture.
4. (transitive, rare, used with "to" or "with") To liken, compare to something similar.
  Quotations
  The use of an animal to kill, wound or threaten is assimilated to the use of a weapon.
  2005 October 12, J. R. Spencer, transl., Penal Code [of France]‎, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, retrieved 2020-01-19, page 25
5. (transitive) To bring to a likeness or to conformity; to cause a resemblance between.
  Quotations
  to assimilate our law in respect to the law of Scotland
  March 13, 1866, John Bright, The reform bill on the motion for leave to bring in the bill
  Fast falls a fleecy shower; the downy flakes / Assimilate all objects.
  1782–1785, William Cowper, “(please specify the page)”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […]
  [I]t [the seed of life] doth, by degrees, aſſimilate the whole inward Man to this living Principle, and conforms the Life unto it.
  1676, Matthew Hale, “Meditations upon the Lord’s Prayer”, in Contemplations Moral and Divine. The Second Part, London: […] William Shrewsbury […], and Tho[mas] Leigh and D[aniel] Midwinter, […], published 1699, page 478
6. (intransitive) To become similar.
7. (intransitive) To be incorporated or absorbed into something.
noun
1. Something that is or has been assimilated.
  Quotations
  At low light intensity, high temperature delays the first flower initiation, as assimilate supply is limiting and high temperature reduces the amount of assimilate available in the plant[.]
  2005, Ep Heuvelink, Tomatoes, page 65
  the growing root and ectomycorrhizas both act as assimilate sinks
  2012, A. Läuchli, R.L. Bieleski, Inorganic Plant Nutrition, page 83

Definition of "assimilate"

assimilate

verb

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noun

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