dissimilate

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.

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/

dissimilate (third-person singular simple present dissimilates, present participle dissimilating, simple past and past participle dissimilated)

1. (rare, transitive) To make dissimilar or unlike.
2. (rare, intransitive) To become dissimilar or unlike.

• dismalities