adoptive
adjective
Examples of adoptive in a Sentence
New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
Reprising roles played both at OSF and at Yale Repertory Theater, Ixtlán is sweetly attentive as Luke, the White banker’s adoptive Lenape son, who carries a torch for Jane.
—Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024
Following his appearance on Disney+ series American Born Chinese, Hong is reprising his voice role as Chinese goose Mr. Ping, adoptive father to Jack Black’s panda Po, in Kung Fu Panda 4, in theaters now.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
Along with Black, returning members of the Kung Fu 4 voice cast include Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master Shifu, James Hong as Po’s adoptive father, Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father Li, and Ian McShane as Shifu’s former student and archnemesis.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024
Officers later on Wednesday arrested the child’s adoptive father, 37-year-old Cory Blakley, on suspicion of murder and willful cruelty to a child.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 8 Feb. 2024
At the time, Major Haley went by the same first name as his adoptive father, Bill.
—Matthew Rosenberg, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2024
My abuser was also my adoptive father, the only father figure in my life.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2024
The adoptive father was found not guilty by a jury in 2022, while the mother's charges were dismissed this year.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'adoptive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
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
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing adoptive
Dictionary Entries Near adoptive
Cite this Entry
“Adoptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adoptive. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
adoptive
adjective
Legal Definition
adoptive
adjective
United States v. White, 766 F. Supp. 873 (1991)
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