WordValeadaptation
a trait that helps an organism survive in its environment
In more detail
1. (noun) the process of changing to suit a new situation or environment
2. (noun) a change made to something so it works better in a new situation
3. (noun) a movie, book, or play that is based on another work and changed to fit a new form
Examples
- 1. The adaptation to a new country took several months.
- 2. The airplane needed an adaptation to fly at higher altitudes.
- 3. The film is an adaptation of the famous novel.
How to use adaptation
Adaptation refers either to the process of adjusting to something new or to the specific change itself. It is used across contexts—psychological (adapting to stress), biological (evolutionary adaptation), and creative (adapting a book to film). The noun is neutral and widely used in formal and scientific contexts as well as everyday speech.
Common phrases
- adapt to new circumstances
- make adaptations
- cultural adaptation
- film adaptation
- adaptation of a novel
- successful adaptation
Synonyms
adjustment · modification · alteration · acclimatization · conversion
Word family
adapt (verb) · adaptive (adjective) · adaptable (adjective) · adaptability (noun) · adaptively (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 'adaptation' with 'adopting'; adaptation means modifying or adjusting something, while adoption means officially taking something up or accepting it as one's own.
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