adopto

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [aˈdɔp.toː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [aˈdɔp.to]^[1]

Forms

adoptō (present infinitive adoptāre, perfect active adoptāvī, supine adoptātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from ad- “to” and optō “to choose”.^[2][1][3][4] The TLL notes that it was in use from Plautus through all Latin.^[3] An inscription has ⟨atoptetur⟩.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of choosing someone as an ally, as his sociam tē mihi adoptō “I choose you as my partner”.^[2][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to take to oneself in some role, choose as an ally or protector, as Cicero's defender of one's rights.^[2][7] From Terence it meant to adopt legally, usually as a son, in Horace jokingly as a father or sister, and in Ovid of grafting.^[2] In Plautus it meant to bring into a position by adoption, and in Pliny the Elder reflexively to join.^[2] In Seneca it meant to take over, assume, in Vitruvius a name, and in Pliny the Elder to name a thing after oneself.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to choose, select, adopt.^[8] It was borrowed into French adopter and Spanish adoptar, and English adopt came about 1500, “to make one's own by selection”.^[1][4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of choosing an ally.^[2][6]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of legal adoption.^[2][6]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of assuming.^[2][6]
• c. 1500 – English adopt is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To choose (as an ally or protector).^[2]
2. To adopt (as a son); to graft.^[2]
3. To bring in by adoption; to join.^[2]
4. To take over, assume; to assume (a name).^[2]
5. To name after oneself.^[2]

Word family

• adoptaticius
• adoptātiō
• adoptator
• adoptatus
• adoptiō
• adoptīvus
• redadoptō

Related words

• optō
• English adopt
• English adoption

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson