ETYM Latin assimilatio: cf. French assimilation.
In animals, the process by which absorbed food molecules, circulating in the blood, pass into the cells and are used for growth, tissue repair, and other metabolic activities. The actual destiny of each food molecule depends not only on its type, but also on the body requirements at that time.
1. The absorbing of one cultural group into harmony with another; SYN. absorption.
2. The state of being assimilated.
3. A linguistic process by which a sound becomes similar to an adjacent sound.
4. In the theories of Jean Piaget: the application of a general schema to a particular instance.
5. The process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion; SYN. absorption.