Definitions for ADAPTATION
ˌæd əpˈteɪ ʃənadap·ta·tion

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:2.4 / 5 votes

1. adaptation, versionnoun

   a written work (as a novel) that has been recast in a new form

   "the play is an adaptation of a short novel"

2. adaptation, adaption, adjustmentnoun

   the process of adapting to something (such as environmental conditions)

3. adaptationnoun

   (physiology) the responsive adjustment of a sense organ (as the eye) to varying conditions (as of light)

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.5 / 10 votes

1. adaptationnoun

   The quality of being adapted; adaption; adjustment.

2. adaptationnoun

   Adjustment to extant conditions: as, adjustment of a sense organ to the intensity or quality of stimulation; modification of some thing or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its current environment.

3. adaptationnoun

   Something which has been adapted; variation.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Adaptationnoun

   The act of fitting one thing to another; the fitness of one thing to another.

   Etymology: from adapt.

   Some species there be of middle natures, that is, of bird and beast, as batts; yet are their parts so set together, that we cannot define the beginning or end of either, there being a commixtion of both, rather than adaptation or cement of the one unto the other. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours, b. iii. c. ii.

   Their adhesion may be in part ascribed, either to some elastical motion in the pressed glass, or to the exquisite adaptation of the almost numberless, though very small, asperities of the one, and the numerous little cavities of the other; whereby the surfaces do lock in with one another, or are, as it were, clasped together. Boyle.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Adaptation

   In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the population during that process. Thirdly, it is a phenotypic trait or adaptive trait, with a functional role in each individual organism, that is maintained and has evolved through natural selection. Historically, adaptation has been described from the time of the ancient Greek philosophers such as Empedocles and Aristotle. In 18th and 19th century natural theology, adaptation was taken as evidence for the existence of a deity. Charles Darwin proposed instead that it was explained by natural selection. Adaptation is related to biological fitness, which governs the rate of evolution as measured by change in allele frequencies. Often, two or more species co-adapt and co-evolve as they develop adaptations that interlock with those of the other species, such as with flowering plants and pollinating insects. In mimicry, species evolve to resemble other species; in Müllerian mimicry this is a mutually beneficial co-evolution as each of a group of strongly defended species (such as wasps able to sting) come to advertise their defenses in the same way. Features evolved for one purpose may be co-opted for a different one, as when the insulating feathers of dinosaurs were co-opted for bird flight. Adaptation is a major topic in the philosophy of biology, as it concerns function and purpose (teleology). Some biologists try to avoid terms which imply purpose in adaptation, not least because it suggests a deity's intentions, but others note that adaptation is necessarily purposeful.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Adaptationnoun

   the act or process of adapting, or fitting; or the state of being adapted or fitted; fitness

2. Adaptationnoun

   the result of adapting; an adapted form

3. Etymology: [Cf. F. adaptation, LL. adaptatio.]

WikidataRate this definition:3.2 / 5 votes

1. Adaptation

   An adaptation, also called an adaptive trait, in biology is a trait with a current functional role in the life history of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection. Adaptation refers to both the current state of being adapted and to the dynamic evolutionary process that leads to the adaptation. Adaptations contribute to the fitness and survival of individuals. Organisms face a succession of environmental challenges as they grow and develop and are equipped with an adaptive plasticity as the phenotype of traits develop in response to the imposed conditions. The developmental norm of reaction for any given trait is essential to the correction of adaptation as it affords a kind of biological insurance or resilience to varying environments.

Editors ContributionRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. adaptation

   The act and process of to adapt.

   The adaptation was easy.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on March 16, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Adjustment
   • Organic Process
   • Physiology
   • Writing

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'ADAPTATION' in Nouns Frequency: #2796

How to pronounce ADAPTATION?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say ADAPTATION in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of ADAPTATION in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of ADAPTATION in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of ADAPTATION in a Sentence

1. Mr Stergiopoulos:

   We have demonstrated that two of the three most serious banana fungal diseases have become more virulent by increasing their ability to manipulate the banana’s metabolic path ways and make use of its nutrients, this parallel change in metabolism of the pathogen and the host plant has been overlooked until now and may represent a ‘ molecular fingerprint ’ of the adaptation process.

2. Inger Andersen:

   Those in poorer countries are going to suffer the very most, so ensuring that there's a degree of equity and a degree of global solidarity for adaptation finance is also critical.

3. John Dewey:

   Complete adaptation to environment means death. The essential point in all response is the desire to control environment.

4. Tim Gore:

   There is no excuse for the richest countries to continue to subsidize the fossil fuel industries, we are calling on them to cut those and channel the money into (climate) adaptation.

5. Mark Redwood:

   When you speak of adaptation in a business setting, people's eyes glaze over ... but if you speak about business continuity and protecting supply chains, that resonates very well.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=ADAPTATION
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Adaptation
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=ADAPTATION
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptation
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ADAPTATION
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=ADAPTATION