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

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 Word Forms

• adoptively adverb
• unadoptive adjective
• unadoptively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of adoptive¹

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

Example Sentences

A number of adoptive families have told the BBC they face repeated violence, and in some cases, have felt they had no choice but to return their child to care.

Read more on BBC

The Krypton-born alien, orphaned, sent off into space for survival and then raised by adoptive parents in Kansas.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Schumer remembers watching the sweeping wheatfield scene when Clark Kent says goodbye to his adoptive mother after his father’s death and embarks on his journey to learn who he truly is.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In 2012, the government revised adoption laws to tighten screening of potential adoptive parents, and to track birthparent data and birth information better.

Read more on BBC

Amanda's adoptive children, aged 16 and 13, have both used the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund to access specialist therapy.

Read more on BBC

When To Use

What does adoptive mean?

Adoptive means related by adoption—the process of taking another parent’s child into one’s custody, typically in a formal legal way, in order to permanently act as their parent or guardian. To do so is to adopt.A person’s adoptive family is the one they were adopted into. The word can also be applied to specific family members related by adoption, as in adoptive father and adoptive daughter. However, adoptive is most commonly used for parents, while the adjective adopted is more commonly applied to a child who has been adopted, as in Their adopted daughter is the newest addition to the family. Adoption most commonly involves an adult couple or a single adult adopting and raising a child who is no longer in the custody of either of their birth parents (biological parents), such as in cases where they have died or are otherwise unable to care for the child. More generally, adoptive can be used to describe things involving adoption.The word adopt is also used in more general ways. It can mean to choose or take as one's own (such as to adopt a new tradition) or to accept something or vote to approve it (such as to adopt a plan or law). Adoptive can also mean tending to adopt in these ways, but this sense is not very commonly used.Example: I consider my adoptive family my real family, but I still want to have a relationship with my birth parents.