Etymograph

English

adapt

Adapt comes from Latin adaptō ‘to fit, adjust, modify’, and goes back to apiō ‘to bind, fasten, join’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapiō‘to bind, fasten, join’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaptō‘to fasten, fit, apply, adjust’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadaptō‘to fit, adjust, modify’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*adaptenreconstructed
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1709adapt

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapiō‘to bind, fasten, join’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaptō‘to fasten, fit, apply, adjust’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadaptō‘to fit, adjust, modify’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*adaptenreconstructed
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1709adapt

Earliest quotation: c. 1709, Merlin's Prophecy: “This prediction, though somewhat obscure, is wonderfully adapt.”

The story

From Middle English *adapten (attested in Middle English adapted (past participle)), from Latin adaptāre (‘to fit to’), from ad- (‘to’) + aptāre (‘to make fit’), from aptus (‘fit’); see apt.

Linked words

through Proto-Italic *apjō

couplet, 14 more

through Latin apiō ‘to bind, fasten, join’

couple, coupling, adept, copulation, copulate, 16 more

through Latin aptō ‘to fasten, fit, apply, adjust’

attitude, 6 more

Today it means

verb To make suitable; to make to correspond; to fit or suit.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin apiō / adapt

Shirt and support for this word