1. Absorbed and integrated: This is the most common definition, particularly in the context of cultures or people. It means to become part of a larger group, adopting its customs, language, and way of life.
* Example: "Immigrants often assimilate into the culture of their new country."
2. Taken in and understood: This definition applies to information or concepts. It means to fully understand and incorporate something into your existing knowledge base.
* Example: "The students quickly assimilated the new information about the Civil War."
3. Combined or merged: In some cases, "assimilated" can mean to combine different things into a unified whole.
* Example: "The company assimilated the two departments into one."
4. Absorbed and changed: This meaning is less common but can be used to describe how something is absorbed and transformed by a larger entity.
* Example: "The small company was assimilated by the larger corporation."
To understand the meaning of "assimilated" in a specific context, pay attention to the surrounding words and the overall meaning of the sentence.