Dissimilate

//dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt// verb

verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To make dissimilar or unlike. rare, transitive
  2. 2
    become dissimilar or less similar wordnet
  3. 3
    To become dissimilar or unlike. intransitive, rare
  4. 4
    make dissimilar; cause to become less similar wordnet
  5. 5
    become dissimilar by changing the sound qualities wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
camouflagedisguisevary

Etymology

First attested in 1841; borrowed from Medieval Latin dissimilātus, perfect passive participle of dissimilō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), hypercorrected form of Classical Latin dissimulō, from dis- + simulō, from similis (“similar, the same as”); the vocalism was perhaps influenced by assimilate, compare dissimulate. Cognate with French dissimiler; doublet of dissemble, dissimulate, and dissimule.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.