adaptation
gb/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/ us/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
B2
English
~ 9700
alkalmazkodás, feldolgozás, adaptáció, alkalmazkodási tulajdonság, érzékszervi alkalmazkodás
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
adaptation to [new situation]
Her rapid adaptation to remote work impressed everyone on the team.
A távmunkához való gyors alkalmazkodása lenyűgözött mindenkit a csapatban.
The adaptation of the company to the new market took several difficult years.
A vállalat új piachoz való alkalmazkodása több nehéz évig tartott.
Moving to another country involves a long period of adaptation to a different culture.
Successful adaptation to climate change will require changes in how cities are planned.
The training program is designed to support employees’ adaptation to new technologies.
Learner examples
His adaptation to life in the city was not easy.
A városi élethez való alkalmazkodása nem volt könnyű.
The school helps with students’ adaptation to a new language.
Az iskola segíti a diákokat az új nyelvhez való alkalmazkodásban.
Good adaptation to change is important at work.
After the accident, she went through a hard adaptation period.
Adaptation to a new job can take a few months.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "adaptation" with "adoption". "Adaptation" is about changing to fit something new; "adoption" is about taking something as your own (for example, adopting a child or adopting an idea). Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition: say "adaptation TO new conditions", not *"adaptation FOR new conditions" in most cases.
Meaning
process of adjusting to change
Collocations
adaptation to change
|adaptation to a new environment
|social adaptation
|cultural adaptation
|adaptation period
|adaptation process
Synonyms
adjustment (Very close in meaning, but more general and slightly more informal in everyday use.)
|
accommodation (More formal and often used for people or groups changing to fit each other or new rules.)
Antonyms
resistance (Emphasizes refusing to change or accept new conditions.)
Themes
daily_life
|work
|psychology
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The process of changing so that you can live or work well in a new situation.
The process of changing yourself, your habits, or your ways of doing things so that you can function effectively in new or different conditions.
NOUN
B2
2
feldolgozás
B2
adaptáció
C1
Usage pattern:
adaptation of [source work] into [new form]
The film adaptation of the novel was released last year.
A regény filmfeldolgozását tavaly mutatták be.
Many fans felt that the screen adaptation did not capture the depth of the characters.
Sok rajongó úgy érezte, hogy a filmes feldolgozás nem adta vissza a szereplők mélységét.
The stage adaptation adds several new scenes that are not in the book.
Her latest project is an adaptation of a popular video game into a TV series.
Critics praised the adaptation for staying faithful to the spirit of the original story.
Learner examples
I loved the movie adaptation of that book.
Imádtam annak a könyvnek a filmfeldolgozását.
The TV adaptation changes the ending of the story.
A tévés feldolgozás megváltoztatja a történet végét.
He is working on a stage adaptation of a famous novel.
This adaptation is very different from the original book.
The adaptation keeps most of the main characters.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"adaptation from the book" when talking about movies. The most common structure is "a film adaptation OF the book" or "an adaptation OF the book INTO a film".
Meaning
new work based on earlier one
Collocations
film adaptation
|screen adaptation
|stage adaptation
|television adaptation
|adaptation of the novel
|cinematic adaptation
Synonyms
version (General word for a different form of something; does not always imply a change of medium.)
|
remake (Usually a new film or show based on an earlier film or show, not necessarily on a book.)
Antonyms
original (Refers to the first work that the adaptation is based on.)
Themes
arts
|media
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A movie, play, or TV show that is made from a book, story, game, or other work.
A film, play, television show, or other creative work that is made by changing an earlier work, such as a book, story, or game, into a new form.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
adaptation to [environmental condition]
Adaptation to extreme cold has allowed these species to survive in polar regions.
Az extrém hideghez való alkalmazkodás tette lehetővé, hogy ezek a fajok a sarkvidéki területeken is fennmaradjanak.
The textbook explains adaptation as a key mechanism of evolution driven by natural selection.
A tankönyv az alkalmazkodást a természetes szelekció által hajtott evolúció egyik kulcsmechanizmusaként magyarázza.
Rapid environmental change can outpace the adaptation of many species.
This study looks at the genetic basis of adaptation to high-altitude environments.
Adaptation over millions of years has produced the incredible diversity of life we see today.
Learner examples
Adaptation helps animals live in their environment.
Az alkalmazkodás segít az állatoknak abban, hogy a környezetükben élni tudjanak.
Adaptation to dry conditions is important for desert plants.
A száraz körülményekhez való alkalmazkodás fontos a sivatagi növények számára.
Changes in climate can affect the adaptation of species.
Adaptation happens over many generations, not in one lifetime.
Adaptation to the ocean took a very long time for land animals.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this type of adaptation happens in a single animal’s lifetime. In evolutionary biology, adaptation is a process that happens over many generations in a population, not a quick change in one individual.
Meaning
evolutionary process of becoming suited
Collocations
evolutionary adaptation
|adaptation to the environment
|adaptation to climate
|adaptation through natural selection
|long-term adaptation
Synonyms
evolution (A broader process; adaptation is one key result or aspect of evolution focused on fitness to the environment.)
Antonyms
maladaptation (A change that makes an organism or population less suited to its environment.)
Themes
science
|biology
|evolution
|nature
Definition
In biology, the slow change of living things over many generations so they can live better in their environment.
In biology, the gradual evolutionary process through which populations change over generations so that they become better suited to their environment.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
4
Usage pattern:
an adaptation for [purpose]
Thick fur is an important adaptation for animals living in cold climates.
A vastag bunda fontos alkalmazkodási tulajdonság a hideg éghajlaton élő állatoknál.
The plant’s deep roots are an adaptation for finding water in dry soil.
A növény mélyre hatoló gyökerei olyan alkalmazkodási tulajdonságot jelentenek, amely segít vizet találni a száraz talajban.
Nocturnal behavior can be seen as an adaptation to avoid daytime predators.
Gills are a classic adaptation that allow fish to extract oxygen from water.
Camouflage coloring is an adaptation that helps insects hide from predators.
Learner examples
A long neck is an adaptation that helps the giraffe eat leaves high in trees.
A hosszú nyak olyan alkalmazkodási tulajdonság, amely segít a zsiráfnak elérni a fák magasabban lévő leveleit.
Webbed feet are an adaptation for swimming.
Az úszóhártyás láb olyan alkalmazkodási tulajdonság, amely segíti az úszást.
Sharp teeth are an adaptation for eating meat.
The owl’s big eyes are an adaptation to see at night.
Cactus spines are an adaptation to protect the plant.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes call any unusual feature an "adaptation". In biology, a feature is called an adaptation only if it clearly helps survival or reproduction and is understood to have evolved for that function.
Meaning
evolved feature helping survival
Collocations
structural adaptation
|behavioral adaptation
|adaptation for survival
|specialized adaptation
|adaptation to cold
|adaptation to darkness
Synonyms
trait (General scientific word for a feature; not all traits are necessarily adaptations.)
|
specialization (Suggests an adaptation that is very specific to a narrow role or environment.)
Antonyms
disadvantage (A feature that makes survival or reproduction harder instead of easier.)
Themes
science
|biology
|nature
|animals
Definition
A body part or behavior that has slowly changed over time and now helps an animal or plant live or have young in its environment.
A physical structure or a behavioral pattern in an organism that has evolved because it helps the organism survive or reproduce in its environment.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
5
Usage pattern:
adaptation of [sense/organ] to [stimulus]
Dark adaptation allows your eyes to see better after several minutes in a dim room.
A sötéthez való alkalmazkodás lehetővé teszi, hogy néhány perc után jobban láss egy gyengén megvilágított szobában.
Sensory adaptation explains why you stop noticing a constant background noise.
Az érzékszervi alkalmazkodás megmagyarázza, miért nem veszed észre egy idő után az állandó háttérzajt.
Physiological adaptation to high altitude can take several days.
The study measured adaptation of the visual system to rapid changes in light intensity.
Olfactory adaptation occurs when a smell seems to fade even though it is still present.
Learner examples
After some time, adaptation to the bad smell happens and you do not notice it as much.
Egy idő után bekövetkezik a rossz szaghoz való alkalmazkodás, és már nem érzed annyira.
Dark adaptation helps you see better at night after being outside for a while.
A sötéthez való alkalmazkodás segít, hogy egy idő után jobban láss éjszaka.
Adaptation to cold water takes a few minutes.
Because of adaptation, you stop hearing the fan after some time.
Visual adaptation lets your eyes work in bright sun and in the dark.
Common mistake:
Learners may mix this scientific sense with general life changes, like moving to a new country. In this sense, "adaptation" is about automatic changes in the body or senses, not about conscious changes in lifestyle or behavior.
Meaning
body or senses getting used to stimulus
Collocations
sensory adaptation
|visual adaptation
|dark adaptation
|light adaptation
|physiological adaptation
Synonyms
acclimatization (Often used for the whole body adjusting to new conditions like altitude or climate, not only senses.)
Antonyms
sensitization (A process where the response to a stimulus becomes stronger, not weaker.)
Themes
science
|health
|psychology
|body
Definition
In science, the way your body or senses slowly change their reaction to something that stays the same, like a bright light or a strong smell.
In physiology and psychology, the gradual change in the body’s or senses’ response to a constant stimulus or condition, such as light, temperature, or smell.
Grammar
Dictionary form
adaptation
IPA
GB/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
US/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
ad - apt - a - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: adaptation
- Plural: adaptation, adaptations
Word family
Expressions
adaptation to climate change
1/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən tə klˈaɪmɪt t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
changing to live with climate change
Changes that people, cities, or countries make so they can live with the effects of climate change and reduce damage.
Examples
- Adaptation to climate change will require major investments in coastal protection.
- Many governments now include adaptation to climate change in their long-term plans.
- Farmers are testing new crops as a form of adaptation to climate change.
film adaptation
1/fˈɪlm ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
movie made from another work
A movie that is made from a book, play, game, or other story.
Examples
- The film adaptation won several awards but changed the ending of the book.
- She prefers the book to the film adaptation.
- They are planning a new film adaptation of the classic novel.
screen adaptation
1/skɹˈin ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
film or TV version of a work
A movie or TV show that is made from a book, play, comic, or other story.
Examples
- The screen adaptation of the comic series became an international hit.
- Critics praised the screen adaptation for its strong cast and fresh dialogue.
- Her novel was optioned for a screen adaptation by a major studio.
stage adaptation
1/stˈeɪd͡ʒ ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
theater play based on earlier work
A play for the theater that is made from a book, film, or other story.
Examples
- The stage adaptation of the movie uses only five actors.
- A new stage adaptation of the bestseller will open in London next year.
- The stage adaptation cuts several scenes that were in the film.