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assimilation definition

as·simi·la·tion (ə sim′ə lā′s̸hən)

noun

an assimilating or being assimilated; specif.,
  1. the cultural absorption of a minority group into the main cultural body
  2. Linguis. a process in which a sound, influenced by a neighboring sound, tends to become like it in articulation the (n) in “in-” meaning “not” becomes (l) by assimilation in forming “illiterate”
  3. Physiol. the change of digested food into the protoplasm of an animal; also, the absorption and incorporation of nutritive elements by plants, as in photosynthesis

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