adoption

Everyday

1. Taking a child into your family by law and becoming their parent for ever. tree →
2. Taking an animal from a shelter to give it a home: pet adoption. tree →
3. Starting to use a new idea, rule or method: the adoption of a new timetable. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and stories, adoption is a loving way families are made, and adopted children are as much part of the family as any child. Pet adoption from rescue shelters is common. In formal language it means a school or country starting a new plan. Phrases: put up for adoption, adoption agency, adopted child, pet adoption.

Examples

• My cousin joined our family through adoption. tree →
• The shelter holds a pet adoption day every month. tree →
• Adoption makes the child a full member of the family. tree →
• The kitten is up for adoption. tree →
• (formal) The adoption of the new rules took a year. tree →
• They celebrate the day of her adoption with a cake. tree →

Note

Verb: adopt; adjective: adopted, adoptive (adoptive parents). Do not confuse adopt (take as your own) with adapt (change to fit). Countable for each case, uncountable for the idea.