Dissimilations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of making things different or dissimilar, particularly in contexts like biology or linguistics
2. The act of altering characteristics in order to create distinction or diversification
3. Referring to the phenomenon where elements no longer retain similarities, often resulting in varied forms or behaviors

Etymology: "Dissimilations" is the plural of "dissimilation," a noun meaning the process of becoming different, or of differing. The base word is "assimilation," which means the process of making alike or absorbing something into a whole. The prefix "dis-" is the Latin negating element, so the pair runs in opposite directions: where assimilation pulls things together, dissimilation pushes them apart. The word was formed in English by attaching "dis-" to "assimilation," so its structure is a straightforward reversal rather than a separate inherited term. Its meaning is therefore defined by the word it opposes, and a reader who knows "assimilation" can usually work out the sense of this one.

Synonyms: divergence, discrepancy

Antonyms: similarity, convergence