adaptation
ad-ap-TAY-shuhn
/ˌædæpˈteɪʃən/
The process of changing or adjusting to suit new environmental conditions or impacts.
Focuses on adjusting lifestyles, infrastructure, and ecosystems to endure current and future climate impacts.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'adaptare', combining 'ad-' (towards) and 'aptare' (to fit or join), from 'aptus' (fit, suited). Originally used in Latin literature to mean fitting one thing to another, Charles Darwin later adopted the term in evolutionary biology, before it entered environmental policy.
Word relationships
- adjustment: Adjustment implies small or temporary changes, while adaptation denotes systemic structural modification for survival.
- acclimatization: Acclimatization refers to physiological changes in an individual organism, while adaptation encompasses broader societal or evolutionary changes.
- rigidity: Rigidity is the inability or refusal to adjust to changing conditions.
- resistance: Resistance involves actively fighting against changing circumstances rather than adjusting.
Commonly confused with
- adoption: Adoption means taking up or choosing to use something new, whereas adaptation means altering something to fit a new context.
Word family
- adapt (verb): To adjust or modify to fit new circumstances.
- adaptable (adjective): Able to adjust to new conditions.
Collocations
- climate adaptation
- adaptation plan
- adaptation strategy
- capacity for adaptation
Idioms & expressions
- adapt or die
Example sentences
- "Adaptation planning and implementation must accelerate rapidly to protect vulnerable coastal communities from rising sea levels." Global adaptation report
- "Constructing seawalls and upgrading flood drainage are key elements of coastal city adaptation." Urban policy
Memory hook
ADAPT = ADD APTNESS to a new situation. Fitting in with changing conditions.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to reducing carbon emissions or stopping pollution at the source.
Fun facts
- Seawalls, drought-resistant crops, and floating houses in the Netherlands are prime real-world examples of climate adaptation.
Related words
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