English Reference
noun

adoption

n.
US /əˈdɑpʃən/ UK /ɐdˈɒpʃən/ adop·tion UK spelling adoption's, adoption's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    the legal process of taking a child into your family and becoming their legal parent.

    the legal act or process by which a person or couple takes a child of other parents as their own.

    Simple

    After years of waiting, the couple finally completed the adoption of their daughter.

    In context

    The legal complexities of international adoption require careful navigation of the statutes in both the child's country of origin and the parents' home state.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of starting to use a new system, idea, or product.

    the acceptance and implementation of a new method, technology, or belief system.

    Simple

    The rapid adoption of smartphones changed how we communicate every day.

    In context

    Widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies depends as much on government subsidies as it does on engineering breakthroughs.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Formal Religion

    the belief that people are accepted as children of God.

    the act of divine grace by which the redeemed are admitted to the privileges of the children of God.

    Simple

    The sermon focused on the spiritual adoption of believers into the faith.

    In context

    Theologians have long debated the precise nature of adoption as a distinct stage in the process of justification and sanctification.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced SlangInformal

    winning ten times in a row against the same opponent.

    a slang term used in competitive gaming or sports to describe ten consecutive victories over a single opponent.

    Simple

    He claimed an adoption after beating his rival ten times in the tournament.

    In context

    The community uses the term adoption to signify total dominance, specifically when a player manages ten straight wins against a challenger.

Don't confuse

adoption vs adaptation — Adaptation is the process of changing something to fit a new purpose, while adoption is the act of taking something over exactly as it is.

Usage adoption of · widespread adoption

Millions of children across the globe are already using artificial intelligence to learn, solve problems and even seek advice about personal worries, while safeguards are failing to keep pace with the technology's rapid adoption.

UN News· 12 Aug 2026

In Bishop’s case Aviv neglected to mention, or consider, the possible impact of a baby given up for adoption when Bishop was a young woman.

The Guardian· 11 Aug 2026

Borrowed from French adoption, from Latin adoptio, allied to adoptare (“to adopt”). Equivalent to adopt + -ion.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin adoptio
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated