Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
adaptive selling
adaptor
Adar
Adar Rishon
Adar Sheni
adat
adaxial
ADC
ADC loan
ADD
add
add.
add-in
add-on
add-on method
add-on service
add up
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

adapt

a·dapt [ ə dápt ] (past and past participle a·dapt·ed, present participle a·dapt·ing, 3rd person present singular a·dapts)


verb 
Definition:
 
1. transitive and intransitive verb change to meet requirements: to change something to suit different conditions or a different purpose, or be changed in this way

2. transitive and intransitive verb adjust to something: to become, or make somebody or something become, used to a new environment or different conditions

3. transitive verb rewrite book or play: to rewrite a book or a play in order to make it into a film or television program

[15th century. Via French adapter< Latin adaptare "fit to" < aptus "attached"]

Word Usage
adapt or adopt?

Adapt means "to change something to meet requirements," "to adjust to something," or "to rewrite something," as in adapted [not adopted] the cottage to a year-round dwelling;flora and fauna that had adapted [not adopted] to an arid climate;adapted [not adopted] the novel for television.Adopt means "to legally raise another's child," "to choose and decide to use something," and "to assume a behavior pattern," as in adopted [not adapted] two boys;adopted [not adapted] a new ideology;adopted [not adapted] an attitude of superiority.

Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft