Which term describes the process of absorbing one culture into another so that the first culture ceases to exist?

The term that accurately describes the process of absorbing one culture into another, leading to the first culture ceasing to exist, is assimilation. This concept highlights the phenomenon where individuals or groups from a minority culture adopt the customs, beliefs, and practices of a dominant culture to the extent that their original cultural identity is lost.

Assimilation typically occurs in contexts where there is a significant power imbalance, such as colonialism or significant migration, leading to the dominating culture overshadowing and eventually erasing the minority culture. Unlike integration, which suggests coexistence and mutual adaptation of cultures, or acculturation, which allows for the retention of some aspects of the original culture while adopting parts of the dominant culture, assimilation implies a more complete absorption and loss of the original cultural identity. Cultural exchange involves the sharing of ideas and practices between cultures without one completely absorbing the other, emphasizing interaction rather than absorption.