adoptive

adjective

adop·​tive ə-ˈdäp-tiv 

1

: made or acquired by adoption

the adoptive father

2

: of or relating to adoption

adoptively adverb

Examples of adoptive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Flowers, who was adopted out of foster care, remembered getting into blow-out fights with her adoptive family. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 15 June 2024

The film’s cast includes Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville — reprising his role as Paddington’s adoptive father, Henry Brown — and Emily Mortimer (taking over for Sally Hawkins, who played Mary Brown in the first two films), with Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters also returning from the previous films. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2024

When his love Noriko is presumed dead, Shikishima becomes more distant than usual toward his adoptive daughter Akiko (Sae Nagatani). —EW.com, 11 June 2024

Carl Brewer had also shot his adoptive mother, once in the neck, prosecutors allege. —Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English adoptif, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French adoptif, going back to Old French, borrowed from Latin adoptīvus, from adoptāre "to adopt" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing adoptive

• adoptive immunotherapy
• adoptive parent

Kids Definition

adoptive

adjective

adop·​tive ə-ˈdäp-tiv 

: made by or associated with adoption

the adoptive parents

Legal Definition

adoptive

adjective

adop·​tive ə-ˈdäp-tiv 

1

a

: having adopted

an adoptive parent

b

: having been adopted

an adoptive child

2

: made or acquired by accepting as one's own the words or actions of another

to constitute an adoptive admission…defendant must actually understand what was said and have an opportunity to deny it

—United States v. White, 766 F. Supp. 873 (1991)