adopt

tr.v., a·dopt·ed, a·dopt·ing, a·dopts.

1. To take into one's family through legal means and raise as one's own child.
2. 1. To take and follow (a course of action, for example) by choice or assent: adopt a new technique.
   2. To take up and make one's own: adopt a new idea.
3. To take on or assume: adopted an air of importance.
4. To vote to accept: adopt a resolution.
5. To choose as standard or required in a course: adopt a new line of English textbooks.

[Middle English adopten, from Old French adopter, from Latin adoptāre : ad-, ad- + optāre, to choose.]

adoptability a·dopt'a·bil'i·ty n.
adoptable a·dopt'a·ble adj.
adopter a·dopt'er n.
adoption a·dop'tion n.

USAGE NOTE   Children are adopted by parents, and one normally refers to an adopted child but to adoptive parents, families, and homes. When describing places, one can use either adopted or adoptive: She enjoys living in her adopted country. Detroit is their adoptive city.

verb

1. To take, as another's idea, and make one's own: embrace, espouse, take on, take up. See accept/reject, give/take/reciprocity.
2. To accept officially: affirm, approve, confirm, pass, ratify, sanction. See accept/reject, law.

v

Definition: choose or take something as one's own
Antonyms: disown, leave alone, reject, repudiate, repulse

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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

To accept, appropriate, choose, or select, as to adopt a child. To consent to and put into effect, as to adopt a constitution or a law.

See: adoption.

1. of alien young. Individual dams of all species may adopt strange neonates, and some ewes will even attempt to poach from others, but special measures have to be taken in most cases to foster alien young. Sows are probably the easiest to deceive. Queens will accept foster kittens if they are within about 2 weeks of the age of their own kittens. Reluctant ewes may accept strange lambs only if they are rubbed with secretions from their own.
2. also used in reference to the placing of stray or otherwise unwanted dogs and cats into ownership, as stray animals obtained from an animal shelter.

IN BRIEF: To take into one's family.

Cats don't adopt people. They adopt refrigerators. — Solomon Short

Tutor's tip: When some people are asked to "adapt" (or adjust) to new circumstances, they prove that they are more "adept" (more than capable; expert) than others. To "adopt" means to take into one's family.

Common misspelling(s) of adopt

• addopt

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - adoptere, tage til sig

idioms:

• adopt an attitude    påtage sig en attitude, anlægge sig en attitude

Nederlands (Dutch)
adopteren, aan-/ overnemen, verkiezen, onderhouden

Français (French)
v. tr. - adopter, suivre, choisir, (Pol) adopter (une motion), (Jur, Admin) retenir

idioms:

• adopt a position    adopter une position
• adopt a technology    adopter une technologie
• adopt an attitude    adopter une position, adopter une attitude
• adopt someone as a candidate    choisir qn comme candidat

Deutsch (German)
v. - adoptieren, annehmen

idioms:

• adopt a position    eine Stelle Übernehmen
• adopt a technology    eine Technologie Übernehmen
• adopt an attitude    sich verhalten
• adopt someone as a candidate    jdn. kandidieren

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - υιοθετώ, ενστερνίζομαι, ασπάζομαι, επιλέγω, προτιμώ

idioms:

• adopt an attitude    υιοθετώ στάση

Italiano (Italian)
adottare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - adotar, abraçar (idéias, princípios), perfilhar

Русский (Russian)
принять, усыновить, удочерить

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - adoptar, prohijar

idioms:

• adopt a position    adoptar una postura
• adopt a technology    adoptar una tecnología
• adopt an attitude    adoptar una actitud
• adopt someone as a candidate    apadrinar a alguien como candidato

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - adoptera, anta, godkänna

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
采取, 吸收, 采纳, 过继, 收养

idioms:

• adopt an attitude    采取...态度

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 採取, 吸收, 採納, 過繼, 收養

idioms:

• adopt an attitude    採取...態度

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 채택하다, 차용하다, 양자로 삼다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 採用する, 採択する, 養子にする, 選ぶ

idioms:

• adopt an attitude    態度を取り始める

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يتخذ, يتبنى‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮אימץ, קיבל‬

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