adapt

B1 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /əˈdæpt/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like adopt /æ/ vs /ɑ/ Sounds like adept /ɛ/ vs /æ/

Freq #8955

Meanings

1

verb
to change your behaviour to fit a new situation

It took her a while to adapt to life in a big city.
2

verb
to change something so that it fits a new purpose or need

The car was adapted for use by disabled drivers.
3

verb
to change a book or story so it can be made into a film or play

The novel was adapted for the stage.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with adapt

adapt to Prepositional verb B1

to adjust to new conditions or demands

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to change your behaviour to... adjust accommodate

2 verb · to change something so that... modify

Word family

Forms adaptedadaptingadapts

Derived forms adaptableadaptateadaptationadaptativeadapter adaption adaptitudeadaptlyadaptnessadaptogenadaptorcoadapt

Related forms adaptabilityadaptablenessadaptablyadaptationaladaptativelyadaptativenessadaptednessadaptionaladaptive adaptivelyadaptivenessadaptorial

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

adapt to
to adjust to new conditions or demands

Verb + preposition/particle

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Italic *aptos Latin aptus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin apiō ▲ Latin -ō Latin -tō Latin aptō Latin adaptōder. Middle English *adapten English adapt From Middle English *adapten (attested in Middle English adapted (past participle)), from Latin adaptāre (“to fit to”), from ad- (“to”) + aptāre (“to make fit”), from aptus (“fit”); see apt.

*adapten Middle English adaptāre Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process

External links

# adapt

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈdæpt/
**Frequency rank:** 8955

## Meanings
1. to change your behaviour to fit a new situation
2. to change something so that it fits a new purpose or need
3. to change a book or story so it can be made into a film or play

## Examples
- It took her a while to adapt to life in a big city.
- The car was adapted for use by disabled drivers.
- The novel was adapted for the stage.

## Derived Forms
- adaptable
- adaptate
- adaptation
- adaptative
- adapter
- adaption
- adaptitude
- adaptly
- adaptness
- adaptogen
- adaptor
- coadapt

## Related Forms
- adaptability
- adaptableness
- adaptably
- adaptational
- adaptatively
- adaptativeness
- adaptedness
- adaptional
- adaptive
- adaptively
- adaptiveness
- adaptorial

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *adapten
- Root: adaptāre
- Affix: ad- - to

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Italic *aptos Latin aptus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin apiō ▲ Latin -ō Latin -tō Latin aptō Latin adaptōder. Middle English *adapten English adapt From Middle English *adapten (attested in Middle English adapted (past participle)), from Latin adaptāre (“to fit to”), from ad- (“to”) + aptāre (“to make fit”), from aptus (“fit”); see apt.

## AI Etymology
Adapt comes from Middle English *adapten, attested in Middle English adapted (past participle), from Latin adaptāre (“to fit to”), from ad- (“to”) plus aptāre (“to make fit”), from aptus (“fit”). Compare apt.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process

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