adaptive
adjUS /əˈdæp.tɪv/
Etymology From adapt + -ive.
1
Of, pertaining to, characterized by or showing adaptation; making or made fit or suitable.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it issued a final rule allowing what’s called “adaptive driving beam headlights” on new vehicles. It will go into effect when published in the Federal Register in the next few days.
- The real affinities of all organic beings, in contradistinction to their adaptive resemblances, are due to inheritance or community of descent.1859, Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species:
2 more examples
- That variation of germinal origin is a fact in organic nature is admitted on all hands, and that some variations are adaptive is also unquestioned.1896, C. Lloyd Morgan, On Modification and Variation:
- Advanced vehicle technologies, including automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, were available as standard equipment for this truck-tractor; however, the carrier opted not to purchase these systems. We found that the collision may have been avoided or its severity lessened had these systems been installed on the truck-tractor. Because commercial vehicle customers can elect not to purchase collision avoidance systems, even those that are considered standard equipment, federal requirements are necessary to increase widespread deployment of this technology.2024, NTSB, Highway Investigation Report, HIR-24-05:
2
Capable of being adapted or of adapting; susceptible of or undergoing accordant change.
3
Of a trait: that helps an organism to function well in its environment.
Evolutionary theory
4
Human sciences, Psychology, Sciences Of a trait: that helps a person to function well in society.
- Synonyms
- adaptable, adaptative
- Antonyms
- maladaptive
- Derived terms
53 terms
adaptive beamformer, adaptive behaviour, adaptive bridge, adaptive clothing, adaptive coding, adaptive communications, adaptive compression, adaptive control, adaptive cruise control, adaptive enzyme, adaptive equalization, adaptive expectations, adaptive filter, adaptive hypertrophy, adaptive immune system, adaptive immunity, adaptive intelligence, adaptive learning, adaptively, adaptive management, adaptive modulation, adaptiveness, adaptive optics, adaptive predictive coding, adaptive radiation, adaptive resonance, adaptive reuse, adaptive routing, adaptive switching, adaptive system, adaptive technology, adaptive tile refresh, adaptive value, adaptive zone, adaptivity, coadaptive, counteradaptive, disadaptive, idioadaptive, inadaptive, mechanoadaptive, multiadaptive, neuroadaptive, osmoadaptive, pathoadaptive, photoadaptive, postadaptive, preadaptive, proadaptive, radioadaptive, seroadaptive, unadaptive, viscoadaptive- Related terms
25 terms
adapt, adaptability, adaptable, adaptableness, adaptably, adaptation, adaptational, adaptationary, adaptative, adaptatively, adaptativeness, adapted, adaptedness, adapter, adaption, adaptional, adaptionary, adaptitude, adaptly, adaptness, adaptorial, nonadaptive, nonadaptively, nonadaptiveness, nonadaptivity