adopt

English Online Dictionary. What means adopt‎? What does adopt mean?

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈdɑpt/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈdɒpt/
• Rhymes: -ɑpt, -ɒpt

Verb

adopt (third-person singular simple present adopts, present participle adopting, simple past and past participle adopted) (transitive)

2. To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship.
   1. To take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one's own child.

   2. To obtain (a pet) from a shelter or the wild.

   3. To contribute towards the upkeep of (a child or animal), in exchange for occasional stories, pictures, etc.

   5. To take by choice into the scope of one's responsibility.
3. To take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally.
4. To select and take or approve.
5. (chess, slang) To beat an opponent ten times in a row.

Usage notes

In the sense of taking a child into one's family, Modern English makes a distinction between fostering (which is implied to be temporary or informal) and adopting (which is permanent and makes the child legally recognized as part of the family). In older usage the two terms were more interchangeable.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

• adoptee
• adoption
• adoptive
• adoptive father
• adoptive mother
• adopt out

Translations

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [aˈdopt]

Verb

adopt

1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive of adopta