adoption

[ uh-dop-shuhn ]
See synonyms for adoption on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act or process of establishing a legal relationship between a child and a parent other than the child’s biological parent, thereby entrusting the designated adult with responsibility for raising the child: Have you considered growing your family through adoption?

  2. the act or process of acquiring a pet, especially a stray or abandoned animal from an animal rescue organization: The shelter sees a rush of dog adoptions every June, when school lets out for summer.

  1. the act of accepting, embracing, or starting to use something, as an idea, behavior, characteristic, or principle: The adoption of a new amendment was delayed by partisan bickering.Her friends and family were surprised by her adoption of European mannerisms and expressions after only one year abroad.

  2. the state of being adopted.

Origin of adoption

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English adopcioun, from Latin adoptiōn-, stem of adoptiō; see ad-, option

Other words from adoption

  • a·dop·tion·al, adjective
  • non·a·dop·tion, noun
  • pre·a·dop·tion, noun
  • pro·a·dop·tion, adjective
  • re·a·dop·tion, noun
  • un·a·dop·tion·al, adjective

Words Nearby adoption

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use adoption in a sentence