adaptive

American

[uh-dap-tiv] / əˈdæp tɪv /

adjective

serving or able to adapt; showing or contributing to adaptation.

the adaptive coloring of a chameleon.

Other Word Forms

adaptively adverb
adaptiveness noun
adaptivity noun
nonadaptive adjective
readaptive adjective
readaptively adverb
readaptiveness noun
unadaptive adjective
unadaptively adverb
unadaptiveness noun

Etymology

Origin of adaptive

First recorded in 1815–25; adapt + -ive

Compare meaning

How does adaptive compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

adaptive vs. maladaptive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By doing so, it links the body's two main defense systems -- innate and adaptive immunity -- into a coordinated and longer lasting response.

From Science Daily

By combining commercially available hardware with new adaptive measurement techniques, the team can now observe rapid shifts in qubit behavior that were previously impossible to see.

From Science Daily

We believe that current AI technology allows organizations with malicious intent to deploy large numbers of autonomous, adaptive, coordinated agents to multiple social media platforms.

From Salon

Researchers believe speed training may have been especially effective because it was adaptive.

From Science Daily

The new ordinance inspired developer David Tedesco to move ahead with plans to convert a high-profile office building in Sherman Oaks, a neighborhood that wasn’t previously included in the city’s adaptive reuse guidelines.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023