adoptive

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈdɑptɪv/ UK /əˈdɒptɪv/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like adaptive /æ/ vs /ɑ/

adj

Meanings

1

adj
related by adoption rather than by birth

Her adoptive parents raised her as their own daughter.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · related by adoption rather... adopting foster

Opposites

biological natural birth

Word family

Derived forms adoptively

Related forms adopt adoption adopted

Etymology

From Old French adoptif, from Latin adoptivus ('pertaining to adoption'), from adoptare ('to choose, adopt'), from ad- ('to') + optare ('to choose, wish').

adoptivus Latin optare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# adoptive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** əˈdɑptɪv
**IPA (UK):** əˈdɒptɪv

## Meanings
1. related by adoption rather than by birth

## Examples
- Her adoptive parents raised her as their own daughter.

## Synonyms
- adopting
- foster

## Antonyms
- biological
- natural
- birth

## Derived Forms
- adoptively

## Related Forms
- adopt
- adoption
- adopted

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: adoptivus
- Root: optare

## Etymology
From Old French adoptif, from Latin adoptivus ('pertaining to adoption'), from adoptare ('to choose, adopt'), from ad- ('to') + optare ('to choose, wish').

## AI Etymology
Adoptive is an adjective meaning "related by adoption rather than by birth". Historically, it is from Old French adoptif, from Latin adoptivus ('pertaining to adoption'), from adoptare ('to choose, adopt'), from ad- ('to') + optare ('to choose, wish'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: adoptive is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Latin adoptivus with Latin optare. Close English family members include adoptively, adopt, adoption, and adopted.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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