adopter

Variant of adopt

transitive verb

  1. to choose and bring into a certain relationship; specif., to take into one's own family by legal process and raise as one's own child
  2. to take up and use (an idea, a practice, etc.) as one's own
  3. to choose and follow (a course)
  4. to vote to accept (a committee report, motion, etc.)
  5. to select as a required textbook

Origin: L adoptare < ad-, to + optare, to choose

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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