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

Meghan and husband Prince Harry are also adoptive dog parents to a black Labrador named Pula and a senior rescue beagle named Mamma Mia — but only Guy appears in the holiday special, making his cameo bittersweet. —Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025

Mindy Sterling plays Clair Nella Who, one of the Grinch's adoptive mothers who tries to raise him to fit in with Whoville’s other citizens. —Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Nov. 2025

Because of her sensitivity and trauma, Annabelle will require a very specific kind of adoptive home. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

Rumors swirled that Bella and Connor were estranged from their adoptive mother due to their ties to the Church of Scientology. —Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 10 Nov. 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)