adaptation

noun

ad·ap·ta·tion | \ ˌa-ˌdap-ˈtā-shən

, -dəp-\

Definition of adaptation

1 : something that is adapted a new adaptation of an old recipe specifically : a composition rewritten into a new form a screen adaptation of a novel

2 : the act or process of adapting a process undergoing adaptation : the state of being adapted adaptation to changing circumstances

3 : adjustment to environmental conditions: such as

a : adjustment of a sense organ to the intensity or quality of stimulation

b : modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its environment : a heritable physical or behavioral trait that serves a specific function and improves an organism's fitness or survival

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Examples of adaptation in a Sentence

His stage adaptation of the novel was a success. The film is an adaptation of a book of the same title. The insect's evolutionary adaptations enable it to be almost invisible even when sitting in the middle of a leaf. a tool designed for easy adaptation

Recent Examples on the Web

Countries should prioritise climate-change adaptation over mitigation. — The Economist, "Debating contests teach Chinese students an argument has two sides," 15 June 2019 Siavash Beik, vice president and principal engineer for Christopher B. Burke, said adaptation should a keyword for dealing with the Kankakee and Yellow rivers. — Tim Zorn, Post-Tribune, "One river commission ends and a new one readies for start for Kankakee, Yellow rivers," 13 June 2019 Pray and Blanca are also compelled by Judy to join the ACT UP protests advocating for more federal investment in researching AIDS, in scenes that echo Murphy’s 2014 adaptation of The Normal Heart. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "Pose Lets In the Light," 12 June 2019 Marvel has already been dabbling with video game adaptations of its films. — Shannon Liao, CNN, "Marvel's Avengers are finally Hulk-smashing into video games," 11 June 2019 The stage adaptation intertwines two of Greek mythology's most famous tales. — CBS News, "Tonys 2019: Full list of winners from the 73rd Annual Tony Awards," 9 June 2019 Of course, the choice was intentional, as O’Hara is at the Tony Awards to introduce a production number from the musical adaptation of Beetlejuice, which is up for eight trophies including Best Musical at Sunday’s show. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Catherine O'Hara Channels Her Beetlejuice Character Delia Deetz at 2019 Tony Awards," 9 June 2019 Arianespace has also finished adaptations to the existing Vega launch complex in French Guiana, including mobile gantry cantilever reinforcements, platform shutters, and a new overhead traveling crane that will enable Vega-C missions. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Rocket Report: A Yellow Sea launch, SpaceX’s upcoming high-value mission," 7 June 2019 Jon Favreau — who had success with the Jungle Book adaptation — directs. — Gary Thompson, https://www.inquirer.com, "It’s blockbuster season: Here are the movies you need to see this summer," 5 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'adaptation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near adaptation

Statistics for adaptation

Last Updated

17 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for adaptation

The first known use of adaptation was in 1597

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More Definitions for adaptation

adaptation

noun

English Language Learners Definition of adaptation

: something that is adapted especially : a movie, book, play, etc., that is changed so that it can be presented in another form

: a change in a plant or animal that makes it better able to live in a particular place or situation

: the process of changing to fit some purpose or situation : the process of adapting

See the full definition for adaptation in the English Language Learners Dictionary

adaptation

noun

ad·ap·ta·tion | \ ˌa-ˌdap-ˈtā-shən

Kids Definition of adaptation

1 : the act or process of changing to better suit a situation

2 : a body part or feature or a behavior that helps a living thing survive and function better in its environment

adaptation

noun

ad·ap·ta·tion | \ ˌad-ˌap-ˈtā-shən, -əp-

Medical Definition of adaptation

1 : the act or process of adapting : the state of being adapted his ingenious adaptation of the electric cautery knife to…surgery— George Blumer

2 : adjustment to environmental conditions: as

a : adjustment of a sense organ to the intensity or quality of stimulation

b : modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its environment — compare adjustment sense 1b

Other Words from adaptation

adaptational \ -shnəl, -shən-ᵊl

\ adjective

adaptationally \ -ē

\ adverb

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