n. | 1. | The act or process of assimilating or bringing to a resemblance, likeness, or identity; also, the state of being so assimilated; |
2. | (Physiol.) The conversion of nutriment into the fluid or solid substance of the body, by the processes of digestion and absorption, whether in plants or animals. |
Noun | 1. | assimilation - the state of being assimilated; people of different backgrounds come to see themselves as part of a larger national family |
2. | assimilation - the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another Synonyms: absorption | |
3. | assimilation - the process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion Synonyms: absorption | |
4. | assimilation - a linguistic process by which a sound becomes similar to an adjacent sound | |
5. | assimilation - the process of assimilating new ideas into an existing cognitive structure Synonyms: acculturation | |
6. | assimilation - in the theories of Jean Piaget: the application of a general schema to a particular instance |