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1. take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully:

｟かたく｠ (理解して)〈考え･知識など〉を自分のものにする, 吸収する(absorb)

e.g. Marie tried to assimilate the week's events.

absorb and integrate (people, ideas, or culture) into a wider society or culture:

«…に» 〈民族･思想･文化など〉を 同化する, 融合する(integrate) «into, to, with»

e.g. pop trends are assimilated into the mainstream with alarming speed.

no object become absorbed and integrated into a society or culture:

｟米｠ «…に» 同化, 融合する «into, to, with» .

e.g. the older generation had more trouble assimilating.

(of the body or any biological system) absorb and digest (food or nutrients):

〈食物など〉を消化, 吸収する(digest)

e.g. the sugars in the fruit are readily assimilated by the body.

2. cause (something) to resemble; liken:

«…に» …をたとえる «to, with»

e.g. philosophers had assimilated thought to perception.

no object come to resemble:

e.g. the Churches assimilated to a certain cultural norm.

Phonetics make (a sound) more like another in the same or next word.

〘音声〙 〈音〉を同化する

assimilable | əˈsimələb(ə)l | adjective

assimilative | əˈsiməˌlādiv, əˈsimələdiv | adjective

assimilator | -ˌlātər | noun

assimilatory | -ləˌtôrē | adjective

late Middle English: from Latin assimilat- ‘absorbed, incorporated’, from the verb assimilare, from ad- ‘to’ + similis ‘like’.