Dictionary

adopt en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /əˈdɑpt/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /əˈdɒpt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle French adopter, from Latin adoptō; ad + optō (“to choose, desire”), equivalent to ad- + opt.

Meanings

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal, transitive) Clipping of adoptable.
   alt of adoptable

Forms

adopt en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈdɑpt/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /əˈdɒpt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle French adopter, from Latin adoptō; ad + optō (“to choose, desire”), equivalent to ad- + opt.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship. ▸ To take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one's own child.
   • A friend of mine recently adopted a Chinese baby girl found on the streets of Beijing.
2. (transitive) To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship. ▸ To obtain (a pet) from a shelter or the wild.
   • We're going to adopt a Dalmatian.
3. (transitive) To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship. ▸ To contribute towards the upkeep of (a child or animal), in exchange for occasional stories, pictures, etc.
   • We adopted an elephant at the local zoo.
4. (transitive) To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship. ▸ To take by choice into the scope of one's responsibility.
   • Sixteen years ago, the station entered into a new chapter when it was adopted by the Friends of Chirk Station (FoCS) volunteer group, under the Arriva Trains Wales Station Adopters programme. 2020 December 30, Paul Stephen, “Chirk station is truly blooming”, in Rail, page 49:
   • This supermarket chain adopts several families every Yuletide, providing them with money and groceries for the holidays.
5. (transitive) To take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally.
   • He adopted a new look in order to fit in with his new workmates.
   • [S]he [Edwina, mother of Tennessee Williams] was indeed Amanda [Wingfield, character in Williams' play The Glass Menagerie] in the flesh: a doughty chatterbox from Ohio who adopted the manner of a Southern belle and eschewed both drink and sex to the greatest extent possible. 2014 November 14, Blake Bailey, “'Tennessee Williams,' by John Lahr [print version: Theatrical victory of art over life, International New York Times, 18 November 2014, p. 13]”, in The New York Times:
6. (transitive) To select and take or approve.
   • These are resolutions that were adopted.
   • Every society should adopt an order of business adapted to its special wants. 1876, Henry Martyn Robert, Robert’s Rules of Order, Chicago: S.C. Griggs & Co., Article XIV, Section 71, p. 156:
   • to adopt the view or policy of another
   • Having found a property that 'feels' right you then have to adopt a hard-headed attitude and consider the realities of life in a new environment. 1997, “Buying a Rural Property”, in Back to Basics, Surry Hills, NSW: Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Limited, page 10:
7. (slang, transitive) To beat an opponent ten times in a row.
   • The match was not even close; the IM made amateurish blunders and ended up getting adopted.
   • "That's it, that's it!" the Grandmaster Eric Hansen bellowed after following nine straight losses with a win. "You are not adopting me! Not today, not today!" 2022 April 12, Jacob Sweet, “The Most Popular Chess Streamer on Twitch”, in The New Yorker, archived from the original on 26 Aug 2022:
   • Wednesday's event will offer the Russian grandmaster three opportunities to adopt Rensch, though just like in the Speed Chess Championship, Nepomniachtchi will have to race against the clock. 2020 May 27, “Adopt-A-Danny Returns Wednesday With Ian Nepomniachtchi”, in Chess.com, archived from the original on 27 May 2020:
   • Nakamura 'Adopts' Komodo On Fathers Day: 20.5-2.5 2018 June 19, Peter Doggers, “(title)”, in Chess.com, archived from the original on 21 May 2022:
   • There was wasn't much for Gukesh fans to cheer, but at least he avoided the fate of Maghsoodloo, who was "adopted", i.e. beaten 10 games in a row. Gukesh struck in the 2nd 3+1 game, when he was dangerously close to that mark. 2022 December 7, Colin McGourty, “Carlsen plays "horribly", beats Gukesh 23:7”, in chess24, archived from the original on 09 Dec 2022:

Forms

Deriveds

adoptaversary · adoptance · adoptious · adoptedly · adoptianism · nonadopting · unadopt · adoptability · nonadopted · readopt · adoptor · adoptable · preadopt

Relateds

adoption · adoptive father · adoptive · adoptee · adoptive mother · adopt out

Synonyms

embrace · espouse

Translations (115)

gl porfillar (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · es adoptar (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · bg осиновя́вам (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · eo alpreni (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · nl adopteren (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · fi omaksua (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · yi אַדאָפּטירן (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · sv anamma (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · la asciscō (to select and take or approve) · uk приймати (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · hu felvesz (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · nl aannemen (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · lv adoptēt (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · eo adopti (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · eo adopti (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · cmn 收養 /收养 (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · cmn 領養 /领养 (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · gl adoptar (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · hu befogad (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · sv adoptera (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · fi hyväksyä (to select and take or approve) · bg усвоявам (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · cy mabwysiadu (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ja 採用する (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · ja 養子にする (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · he אִמֵּץ (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · da adoptere (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · el υιοθετώ (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · uk усино́влювати (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · fi omaksua (to select and take or approve) · ru принима́ть (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · he אִמֵּץ (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · sh усвојити (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · cs adoptovat (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · sh usvojiti (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ru усва́ивать (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · ta ஏல் (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · ru приня́ть (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · fa پذیرفتن (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · uk перейма́ти (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · hu adoptál (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ta ஏற்றுக்கொள் (to select and take or approve) · pt adotar (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · sw panga (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · hu hoz (to select and take or approve) · ru удочеря́ть (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · bg приемам (to select and take or approve) · hu követ (to select and take or approve) · de annehmen (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · fi adoptoida (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · uk вдочеря́ти (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · vi nhận làm con nuôi (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ms angkat (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · uk всино́влювати (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · pl zaadoptować (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · nn adoptera (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ang ġewȳsċan (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · nl goed keuren (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · sk adoptovať (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ht adokte (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · pl przysposabiać (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · zza depıtene (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · pt adotar (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ru усвоить (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · kw asvaba (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · hy որդեգրել (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ta தத்தெடு (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · de übernehmen (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · el υιοθετώ (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · cs osvojit (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · hu örökbe fogad (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ru усынови́ть (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · gd uchd-mhacaich (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · it adottare (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · sh posvojiti (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · pl przysposobić (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · hu alkalmaz (to select and take or approve) · uk засво́ювати (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · la asciscō (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · hu elfogad (to select and take or approve) · uk удочеря́ти (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ru признава́ть (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · chn iskam-kakwa-tənas (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ca adoptar (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · kw adoptya (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · gd uchd-mhacaich (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ru усыновля́ть (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · la adoptō (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · sk osvojiť si (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ca adoptar (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · de adoptieren (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · az mənimsəmək (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · gl adoptar (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · te పెంచుకొను (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ar تَبَنَّى (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ko 입양하다 (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ar تَبَنَّى (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · bg осиновя́ (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ro adopta (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · es adoptar (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · is ættleiða (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · tr evlat edinmek (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · fr adopter (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · qu churichakuy (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · pl adoptować (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · ru призна́ть (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · fr adopter (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · ru удочери́ть (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · nb adoptere (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · rup nhiljedz (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · la adoptō (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · es ahijar (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · hu magáévá tesz (to take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally) · km ចិញ្ចឹម (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen) · fo ættleiða (to take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen)