Adoption is a legal process that allows individuals or couples to become the legal parents of a child who is not biologically related to them. Adoption is a complex process that involves many legal and emotional considerations. It is a way for people to form families and provide a loving home for children who may not have one.
Definitions
Adoption is defined as the legal process of taking a child into one’s family and raising them as one’s own. It is a way for people to become parents and provide a loving home for children who may not have one. Adoption can take many forms, including domestic adoption, international adoption, foster care adoption, and kinship adoption.
Origin
Adoption has been practiced in societies throughout history. In ancient Rome, adoption was a common practice for families who did not have male heirs. In medieval Europe, adoption was used to ensure the continuation of a family’s name and lineage. In the United States, adoption became more common in the early 20th century as a way for families to provide homes for children who were orphaned or abandoned.
Meaning in different dictionaries
According to Merriam-Webster, adoption is defined as “the act or process of adopting a child.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines adoption as “the action or fact of legally taking another’s child and bringing it up as one’s own, or of being adopted oneself.”
Associations
Adoption is often associated with love, family, and the desire to provide a stable and nurturing home for a child. It can also be associated with loss, as many adopted children have experienced the trauma of separation from their biological parents.
Synonyms
Synonyms for adoption include fostering, raising, taking in, and nurturing.
Antonyms
Antonyms for adoption include abandonment, neglect, and rejection.
The same root words
The root word of adoption is “adopt,” which comes from the Latin word “adoptare,” meaning “to choose for oneself.” Other related words include “adoptive,” “adoptee,” and “adopter.”
Example Sentences
- After years of trying to conceive, the couple decided to pursue adoption.
- The adoption agency carefully screened potential adoptive parents to ensure that they were fit to raise a child.
- The child’s biological parents gave up their parental rights, allowing the adoptive parents to become the child’s legal guardians.
- The adoptive family was overjoyed to welcome their new son into their home.
- The adoption process was long and difficult, but ultimately worth it for the loving family that was formed.