adoption
uh-DOP-shun
/əˈdɒp.ʃən/
The legal process of permanently assuming the parenting of another person, usually a child, from their biological parents.
Adoption permanently severs the legal ties with biological parents and creates a new, permanent legal relationship identical to biological parenthood.
The story behind the word. Adoption comes from the Latin 'adoptio', which is formed from 'ad-' (to) and 'optare' (to choose). It literally means 'to choose for oneself'—a beautiful description of choosing to bring a child into one's family.
Commonly confused with
- foster care: Foster care is temporary state-supervised care, while adoption is a permanent legal transfer of parental rights.
Word family
- adopt (verb): To legally take another's child as one's own.
- adoptive (adjective): Relating to adoption (e.g., adoptive parents).
- adopted (adjective): Having been adopted.
Collocations
- open adoption
- closed adoption
- finalize an adoption
- adoption agency
Example sentences
- "After two years of foster care, the family celebrated the official adoption of their son." A family celebrating a legal milestone.
- "The court finalized the adoption, issuing a new birth certificate listing the adoptive parents." A legal description of parental rights.
Memory hook
Adoption is when you 'opt' (choose) to 'add' a child to your family. Adoption = Choosing to add.
When not to use
Do not confuse adoption with foster care, which is temporary and does not permanently transfer parental rights.
Fun facts
- In ancient Rome, adoption was highly common among the ruling class, not for child welfare, but to secure male heirs to inherit political power and family names (e.g., Julius Caesar adopted Augustus).
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