verb

adopt

uh-DOPT

verb

To legally take a child into your family as your own.

"They adopted a baby girl from overseas."

"He was adopted as an infant and met his birth parents years later."

To take a pet or cause under your care, or to start using an idea, method, or practice.

"We adopted a rescue dog from the local shelter."

"The company adopted a new policy on remote work."

How to Use Adopt

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo take something in and make it your own, whether that's a child, a pet, or a new idea.

Common pairings

adopt a child adopt a pet adopt a policy adopt a practice

Word Forms

adopted past tense, adopt plural, adopted plural, adopts singular, adopt singular, adopted singular, adoptest singular, adoptedst singular, adopteth singular

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Can you complete this real example?

They _____ a baby girl from overseas.

Etymology

From Latin adoptare, from ad- ("toward") + optare ("to choose") — the same root as "option."