What does dissimilating mean?
"Dissimilating" is the present participle of the verb "dissimilate", a term rooted in linguistics that describes sounds within a word becoming less similar to each other. When a speaker says "surprise" as "suprise", the first of two adjacent r-sounds has effectively dissimilated, easing articulation by breaking up the repetition. The process can be described intransitively (a sound is dissimilating) or transitively (a language dissimilates certain consonants), and it appears most often in technical discussions of historical and dialectal sound change. A much rarer, largely archaic sense means disguising or concealing one's true feelings, which brings the word close to "dissimulate" and invites confusion between them. Because dissimilation shapes everyday pronunciation — from "governor" to "chimney" — the word offers a precise way to talk about how languages smooth away awkward sameness over time, making it valuable for students of phonetics and curious word-watchers alike.
(Of a speech sound) to undergo dissimilation; to become less similar to a neighboring sound.
"Over centuries, the second of the twin syllables has been dissilating in many speakers' pronunciation."
Chiefly used in phonetics and historical linguistics.
To cause two similar or identical sounds in a word to become less alike.
"Latin regularly dissimilated one of two adjacent r-sounds, turning *peregrinus-like forms into peregrinus patterns of alternation."
To conceal or disguise (one's feelings or intentions).
"He spent the evening dissilating his disappointment behind polite conversation."
This sense is rare in modern usage and overlaps strongly with "dissimulate"; prefer "dissimulating" when this meaning is intended.
Your mouth dissimilates more often than you think — say 'surprise' quickly and you'll hear the first 'r' quietly vanish.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dissimilating
"Dissimilate" derives from Latin roots: the prefix dis- ("apart") combined with similis ("like, similar"), the same root behind "similar", "assimilate", and "simulate". The verb was formed in English on the model of "assimilate", with "dissimilation" established as the standard linguistic term for the sound change. Its cognates therefore include "dissimilar", "similarity", and "simulate", all tracing back to that shared Latin adjective similis.
Related word forms
How dissimilating is actually used
"Dissimilating" is chiefly a technical term used in linguistics and phonetics; outside scholarly writing it is uncommon. The sense relating to concealing feelings overlaps with "dissimulating" and is rare in modern usage.
Easily confused with dissimilating
Dissimulating means concealing or hiding one's true feelings, while dissimilating in its primary sense refers to sounds becoming less alike in pronunciation.