assimilate

assimilate · verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*sem-“together, one”
2. Latin · derived fromassimulātus“made similar, imitated”
3. Late Latin · derived fromassimilātus
4. Middle English · inherited fromassimilaten“to become similar; to make like”
5. English todayassimilate

First attested in the early 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; Middle English assimilaten (“to become similar; to make like”), from assimilat(e) (“assimilated”, also used as the past participal of assimilaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Late Latin assimilātus, variant of Latin assimulātus (“made similar, imitated”), perfect passive participle of assimulō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ad + simulō (“to imitate, copy”), from similis (“like, similar”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“together, one”). Doublet of assemble.

assimilate · adjective, noun²

1. Middle English · inherited fromassimilat(e)“made like”
2. English todayassimilate

First attested in the early 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; from Middle English assimilat(e) (“made like”, used as the participle of assimilaten), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more; the noun was derived from the participle through substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix). Participial usage up until Early Modern English.

Words from the same roots