Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Adoption

A-dop′tion

,
Noun.
[L.
adoptio
, allied to
adoptare
to adopt: cf. F.
adoption
.]
1.
The act of adopting, or state of being adopted; voluntary acceptance of a child of other parents to be the same as one’s own child.
2.
Admission to a more intimate relation; reception;
as, the
adoption
of persons into hospitals or monasteries, or of one society into another
.
3.
The choosing and making that to be one's own which originally was not so; acceptance;
as, the
adoption
of opinions
.
Jer. Taylor.

Webster 1828 Edition


Adoption

ADOP'TION

,
Noun.
[L. adoptio.]
1.
The act of adopting, or the state of being adopted; the taking and treating of a stranger as one's own child.
2.
The receiving as one's own, what is new or not natural.
3.
God's taking the sinful children of men into his favor and protection.
Adoption of arms, an ancient ceremony of presenting arms to one for his merit or valor, which laid the person under an obligation to defend the giver.
Adoption by baptism is the spiritual affinity which is contracted by god-fathers and god-children, in the ceremony of baptism. It was introduced into the Greek church, and afterwards among the ancient Franks. This affinity was supposed to entitle the god-child to a share of the god-father's estate.
Adoption by hair was performed by cutting off the hair of a person and giving it to the adoptive father. Thus Pope John VIII adopted Boson, king of Arles.
Adoption by matrimony is the taking the children of a wife or husband, by a former marriage, into the condition of natural children. This is a practice peculiar to the Germans; but is not so properly adoption as adfiliation.
Adoption by testament is the appointing of a person to be heir, by will, or condition of his taking the name, arms, &c. of the adopter.
In Europe, adoption is used for many kinds of admission to a more intimate relation, and is nearly equivalent to reception; as, the admission of persons into hospitals, or monasteries, or of one society into another.

Definition 2024


Adoption

Adoption

See also: adoption

German

Noun

Adoption f (genitive Adoption, plural Adoptionen)

  1. adoption (voluntary acceptance of a child of other parents to be the same as one's own child)

adoption

adoption

See also: Adoption

English

Noun

adoption (plural adoptions)

  1. The act of adopting, or state of being adopted; voluntary acceptance of a child of other parents to be the same as one's own child.
    • 1905, Baroness Emmuska Orczy, chapter 1, in The Tragedy in Dartmoor Terrace:
      “The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas. []
    A Chinese baby girl was given away for adoption.
  2. Admission to a more intimate relation; reception; as, the adoption of persons into hospitals or monasteries, or of one society into another.
  3. The choosing and making that to be one's own which originally was not so; acceptance; as, the adoption of opinions.
  4. (computing) Transfer between an old system to another (usually better) system.
    Our school is considering the adoption of Wiktionary as the standard dictionary.

Translations


Finnish

Noun

adoption

  1. Genitive singular form of adoptio.

Anagrams


French

Pronunciation

Noun

adoption f (plural adoptions)

  1. adoption

Related terms


Swedish

Noun

adoption c

  1. adoption

Declension

Inflection of adoption 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative adoption adoptionen adoptioner adoptionerna
Genitive adoptions adoptionens adoptioners adoptionernas

Related terms

References