assimilator
|as-si-mil-a-tor|
🇺🇸
/əˈsɪmɪleɪtər/
🇬🇧
/əˈsɪmɪleɪtə/
one who makes similar; an absorber/integrator
Etymology
'assimilator' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'assimilare', where the prefix 'ad-' (assimilated as 'as-') meant 'to' and 'similis' meant 'like'.
'assimilator' was formed in English from the verb 'assimilate' (which came from Latin 'assimilare'); English added the agentive suffix '-or' to produce the noun 'assimilator'.
Initially related to the Latin sense 'to make similar', the root evolved to cover broader senses of 'absorb' or 'integrate'; 'assimilator' therefore came to mean 'one that assimilates' in social, biological, or mechanical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person, group, or thing that assimilates—i.e., absorbs, integrates, or makes similar (especially in cultural or social contexts).
The community acted as an assimilator for immigrants, helping them adopt local customs.
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Noun 2
a device, mechanism, or process that causes or facilitates assimilation (used in fields such as biology, linguistics, chemistry, or engineering).
In the lab setup the assimilator converted foreign cells to forms more like the host cells.
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Last updated: 2025/11/03 15:12