adopt

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/əˈdɒpt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/əˈdɑpt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ə dopt)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
a•dopt /əˈdɑpt/USA pronunciation   v. [+ object]
  1. to take up and use or practice:to adopt a nickname; adopt a wait-and-see attitude.
  2. to take and rear (the child of others) as one's own child, esp. by a formal legal act:to adopt a baby.
  3. to accept formally:The committee adopted the report.
a•dopt•a•bil•i•ty, n. [uncountable]
a•dopt•a•ble, adj. 
a•dopt•er, n. [countable]See -opt-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
a•dopt  (ə dopt),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. to choose or take as one's own;
    make one's own by selection or assent:to adopt a nickname.
  2. to take and rear (the child of other parents) as one's own child, specifically by a formal legal act.
  3. to take or receive into any kind of new relationship:to adopt a person as a protégé.
  4. to select as a basic or required textbook or series of textbooks in a course.
  5. to vote to accept:The House adopted the report.
  6. to accept or act in accordance with (a plan, principle, etc.).
  7. adopt out, to place (a child) for adoption:The institution may keep a child or adopt it out.
  • Latin adoptāre, equivalent. to ad- ad- + optāre to opt
  • Middle French adopter)
  • (1490–1500
a•dopter, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
adopt / əˈdɒpt/ (transitive)
  1. to bring (a person) into a specific relationship, esp to take (another's child) as one's own child
  2. to choose and follow (a plan, technique, etc)
  3. to take over (an idea, etc) as if it were one's own
  4. to take on; assume: to adopt a title
  5. to accept (a report, etc)
Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin adoptāre to choose for oneself, from optāre to chooseˌadopˈteeaˈdopteraˈdoption
'adopt' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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