dissimilate

UK: /dɪˈsɪmɪˌleɪt/ US: (di sim′ə lāt′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•sim•i•late  (di sim′ə lāt′), v.t., -lat•ed, -lat•ing. [Phonet.]

1. Phonetics to modify by dissimilation.

• 1835–45; dis-¹ + (as)similate

dis•sim′i•la′tive, adj. 
dis•sim•i•la•to•ry  (di sim′ə lə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē), adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dissimilate / dɪˈsɪmɪˌleɪt/ verb

1. to make or become dissimilar
2. (usually followed by to) to change or displace (a consonant) or (of a consonant) to be changed to or displaced by (another consonant) so that its manner of articulation becomes less similar to a speech sound in the same word. Thus (r) in the final syllable of French marbre is dissimilated to (l) in its English form marble

Etymology: 19th Century: from dis-¹ + assimilate