to bring (a person) into a specific relationship, esp to take (another's child) as one's own child to choose and follow (a plan, technique, etc) to take over (an idea, etc) as if it were one's own to take on; assume: to adopt a title to accept (a report, etc)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
a•dopt /əˈdɑpt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
a•dopt•a•ble, adj.
a•dopt•er, n. [countable]See -opt-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to take up and use or practice:to adopt a nickname; adopt a wait-and-see attitude.
- to take and rear (the child of others) as one's own child, esp. by a formal legal act:to adopt a baby.
- to accept formally:The committee adopted the report.
a•dopt•a•ble, adj.
a•dopt•er, n. [countable]See -opt-.
a•dopt
(ə dopt′),USA pronunciation v.t.
a•dopt′er, n.
- to choose or take as one's own;
make one's own by selection or assent:to adopt a nickname. - to take and rear (the child of other parents) as one's own child, specifically by a formal legal act.
- to take or receive into any kind of new relationship:to adopt a person as a protégé.
- to select as a basic or required textbook or series of textbooks in a course.
- to vote to accept:The House adopted the report.
- to accept or act in accordance with (a plan, principle, etc.).
- 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
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'adopt' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Black Muslims
- Common Market
- Denver boot
- Egyptianize
- English
- Finlandization
- Galveston plan
- Gnosticize
- Grecize
- Hellenize
- Newmanize
- Pentecostal
- Platonize
- acculturize
- address
- adoptable
- adoptee
- adoptive
- affect
- affiliate
- assume
- attention
- attitudinize
- borrow
- changeover
- containerize
- convention
- convert
- cozy
- curl up
- customs union
- defect
- deploy
- domesticate
- ease
- embrace
- en garde
- espouse
- exoticism
- fall
- fall in
- fashionista
- francize
- go
- go in
- jam
- lunatic fringe
- modernize
- native
- naturalism