a·dopt [ ə dópt ](past and past participlea·dopt·ed, present participlea·dopt·ing, 3rd person present singulara·dopts)
transitive verb
Definition:
1. legally raise another's child: to raise a child of other biological parents as if it were your own, in accordance with formal legal procedures
2. choose and decide to use something: to take up something such as a plan, idea, cause, or practice and use or follow it decided to adopt a wait-and-see policy
3. assume way of acting: to assume an attitude or way of behaving adopted an air of innocence
4. start using new name: to take on and use a new name or title plans to adopt a pseudonym
5. politics vote in favor of something: to vote to accept something such as a committee's decision or a congressional bill
6. U.S. choose something as requirement: to officially select something as a requirement
[15th century. Directly or via French adopter< Latin adoptare "choose for yourself" < optare "choose"]
Parents who adopt a child have an adopted child, and the child has adoptive parents. Any children related to the parents by birth have an adopted brother or sister; the adopted child has adoptive siblings.
