adoption
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for adoption, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The legal process of taking a child into your family as your own.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use adoption
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin adoptio, from adoptare ("to adopt"); equivalent to adopt + -ion.
Full origin of adoption →Frequently asked questions
What does “adoption” mean?
The word “adoption” means the legal process of taking a child into your family as your own. In plain terms, either legally becoming someone's parent, or a group starting to use something new.
How do you pronounce “adoption”?
“Adoption” is pronounced uh-DOP-shuhn (/əˈdɑp.ʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “adoption” in a sentence?
Here is “adoption” used in a sentence: “The adoption was finalised after a long wait.”
What part of speech is “adoption”?
“Adoption” is a noun.
Where does the word “adoption” come from?
The word “adoption” comes from Latin. From Latin adoptio, from adoptare ("to adopt"); equivalent to adopt + -ion.
Is “adoption” a common word?
“Adoption” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “adoption” have?
“Adoption” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the legal process of taking a child into your family as your own.
What is the difference between adoption and fostering?
Adoption is the legal process of taking a child into your family as your own, giving you permanent parental rights, while fostering is a temporary arrangement where a child lives with a carer without full legal transfer of parenthood. Adoption is permanent, whereas fostering is intended as care for a limited period.
What is the difference between adoption and adaptation?
Adoption is the act of starting to use or accept something, such as a technology or plan, while adaptation is the process of changing something to suit new conditions. A company's adoption of new software means it began using it, while its adaptation means it altered the software to fit its needs.
How is adoption used when talking about technology?
In technology and business, adoption refers to the act of starting to use or accept a method, tool, or plan, as in "the adoption of electric vehicles." It measures how widely something new is being taken up rather than any legal or family process.