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

Though the show's description does not mention Natalia Grace or her former adoptive family directly, the situation does seem to serve as inspiration. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025

Per the outlet, Grace, who has a rare dwarfism condition, was accused by her former adoptive family of pretending to be a child. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025

Good American Family tries to show what really happened to Natalia Grace, what her life was like with her adoptive family, and the legal and media battle that eventually destroyed the family. —Paloma González, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2025

Meanwhile members of his adoptive family, the Browns, are growing up – and even apart from each other. —Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2025

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)