adoption

Adoption is the process of adopting another parent’s child—taking them into one’s custody, typically in a formal, legal way in order to permanently act as their parent or guardian.

This 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. This sense of adoption can also be used in reference to adopting an animal as a pet, such as from an animal shelter. The word is especially used this way when the animal had a previous caretaker.

Adopt and adoption have many other more general meanings. Most generally, adopt means to choose or take as one’s own. It can also mean to accept something or vote to approve it. In all cases, adoption is the act or process of adopting, or the state of having adopted.

The adoption of a tradition or religion involves making it one’s own. The adoption of a plan involves approving it and acting according to its steps. Similarly, the adoption of a law involves the formal vote to approve it and the steps taken to follow and enforce it.

Example: We’ve found an agency that will help us through the process of adoption.

The first records of the word adoption come from the 1300s. Adoption is a noun form of the verb adopt, which comes from the Latin verb adoptāre, meaning “to choose for oneself,” from optāre, “to choose.”

Adoption of children is often pursued by people who are unable or who choose not to have biological children, but it can also involve families with their own children adopting other children into the family. A child can also be adopted by a relative, such as an aunt, uncle, or grandparent. The adjective adoptive can mean “involving adoption” or “related by adoption,” as in my adoptive family. A person who has been adopted can be referred to as an adoptee. More commonly, such a person may identify as adopted, as in I’m adopted, but I’ve met my birth mother and keep in touch with her.

What are some other forms related to adoption?

• nonadoption (noun)
• preadoption (noun)
• proadoption (adjective)
• adopt (verb)

What are some synonyms for adoption?

• acceptance
• approval
• enactment

What are some words that share a root or word element with adoption? 

• option
• opt

What are some words that often get used in discussing adoption?

• child
• parent
• family
• pet
• animal
• agency
• services
• law
• process

Adoption is commonly used in the context of adopting children as well as in its general senses.

Have you ever adopted a child? Do you come from an adoptive family? It can be a bittersweet experience for those involved.

This week, @piya wades into some of the things we don't tend to discuss when we talk about adoption.https://t.co/149UUyhJ93

— CBC's Out in the Open (@cbcopen) August 17, 2019

If you’re #LGBT and thinking about a family though #adoption, PACT can help you. https://t.co/Z3PunhyS2S pic.twitter.com/YlgRzCqa6G

— PACT (@PACTCHARITY) June 22, 2016

#NATO welcomes the adoption of Ukraine’s new National Security Strategy by President @ZelenskyyUa which provides a key framework for Ukraine’s security and helps guide #security & #defence sector reform and development.

— NATO in Ukraine (@NATOinUkraine) September 15, 2020

Is adoption used correctly in the following sentence?

The adoption of this law is an important moment in this nation’s history.