adoptive

[ uh-dop-tiv ]

adjective

1. of or involving adoption.
2. acquired or related by adoption:

   an adoptive father or son.

3. tending to adopt.

adoptive

/ əˈdɒptɪv /

adjective

1. acquired or related by adoption

   an adoptive father

2. of or relating to adoption Compare adopted

Usage Note

Although adoptive in the sense “acquired or related by adoption” can refer to either parent or child in such a relationship, adoptive is customarily applied to the parent ( her adoptive mother ) and adopted to the child ( their adopted son ).

Other Words From

• a·doptive·ly adverb
• una·doptive adjective
• una·doptive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of adoptive¹

1400–50; < Latin adoptīvus; adopt, -ive; replacing late Middle English adoptife < Middle French adoptif

Example Sentences

There is wide consensus among attorneys that adoptive parents can vacate an adoption if acts of fraud were committed.

From The Daily Beast

Pause, here, for a side-story: Costa is a Brazilian who elected to play for his adoptive Spain over the country of his birth.

From The Daily Beast

Scott, born Laura “Luann” Bambrough, was raised in Utah by adoptive Mormon parents.

From The Daily Beast

Cofsky explained that Matthew Mancuso, the adoptive father, looked perfect on paper.

From The Daily Beast

They sat in on monthly conference calls with the State Department for families caught midstream in the adoptive process.

From The Daily Beast

Over him the adoptive father had potests as over a son of his own, and looked upon him as flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone.

From Project Gutenberg

He was the first and greatest of the Roman emperors, in his way perhaps fully as great as his adoptive father, Julius Csar.

From Project Gutenberg

Richard told his adoptive parents where he had been, and asked if he might invite his new friends for the next Sunday.

From Project Gutenberg

That was originally an adoptive act, but it is now extended to all districts in England and Wales.

From Project Gutenberg

In order to obtain beatitude for her adoptive father, she resolved to become a river whose waters should purify from all sin.

From Project Gutenberg