denotes a person or thing adopted by another.

Adoptive children, among the Romans, were on the same footing with natural ones; and accordingly were either to be instituted heirs, or expressly disfranchised, otherwise the testament was null. The emperor Adrian preferred adoptive children to natural ones; because we choose the former, but are obliged to take the latter at random.

M. Menage has published a book of eloges, or verses addressed to him; which he calls Liber Adoptivus, an adoptive book; and adds it to his other works.—Heinrius, and Furttenburg of Munster, have likewise published adoptive books.

In ecclesiastical writers we find adoptive women, or sisters, (adoptiva feminae or sorores), used for those handmaids of the ancient clergy, otherwise called sub-introducer.