Adaptive
/əˈdæp.tɪv/noun
Able or designed to change in response to new conditions.
Did you know?Adaptive ultimately traces back to Latin *aptus* (“fit, fastened, suitable”), the same root behind words about being “apt” or “aptitude,” all built on the ancient idea of perfect fitting and binding.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ep-
“to grasp, reach, or take hold of”
Latin
Latin
aptus
“fit, suitable, fastened”
Late Latin
Latin
adaptāre
“to fit to, adjust”
Middle French
Old French
adaptif
“capable of being adapted”
Modern English
English
adaptive
“able to change or adjust to different conditions”