assimilated
UK[əˈsɪmɪleɪtɪd]US[əˈsɪməˌleɪt̬ɪd]
adj
Having been absorbed and integrated into a wider group or culture, losing distinct characteristics.
adj
(of a sound in speech) Changed to become more similar to an adjacent sound.
Morpheme Breakdown
ad
simil
ate
ed
ad
to
simil
like
ate
verb suffix
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'assimilated' originates from the Latin verb assimilare, meaning "to make similar to". This verb itself is built from the prefix ad- ("to") and the adjective similis ("like, similar"). The core concept, therefore, is the process of bringing something into likeness or conformity with something else. In its journey into English, the term evolved from a literal sense of making things alike to its modern sociological and linguistic meanings, describing the absorption of individuals or groups into a dominant culture and the phonetic alteration of sounds to match their neighbors.
Analysis
Structure: ad (to) + simil (like) + ate (verb suffix) + ed (adjective suffix)
ad: Latin prefix meaning "to, toward".
simil: Latin root from similis, meaning "like, similar".
ate: Latin-derived suffix used to form verbs.
ed: English suffix used to form adjectives from past participles.
Examples
The immigrant community became fully assimilated into the local society over two generations.
In rapid speech, the 'n' in 'input' is often assimilated to sound like an 'm'.
The conquered people were gradually assimilated, adopting the language and customs of their rulers.