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Where does the word "assimilate" come from? It comes from Latin assimilare, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
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Where does the word "assimilate" come from? It comes from Latin assimilare, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
Assimilate’s story begins in Latin: assimilare meant “to make like.” 'ad-' plus 'similis', like. It reached English by 1400s as assimilate. Cultural assimilation dates from the 1800s. Today, assimilate means to take in and understand; to absorb.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient assimilare "to make like", 'ad-' plus 'similis', like.
- Stage 2 · English · 1400s assimilate "to absorb", cultural assimilation dates from the 1800s.