adaptˈer or adaptor noun

1. Someone who or something which adapts
2. An attachment or accessory enabling a piece of apparatus to be used for a purpose, or in conditions, other than that or those for which it was originally intended, esp a device that will connect two parts of different sizes, or a device that enables one to connect two electrical devices (eg a plug and socket) that have incompatible terminals, or that allows more than one electrical appliance to be powered from one socket

adapˈtion noun

Adaptation

adaptˈive adjective

adaptˈively adverb

adaptˈiveness noun

adapt'ogen noun

(in herbal medicine) a natural substance which helps the body to cope with stress and other adverse circumstances

adaptive radiation noun (ecology)

Evolutionary diversification of species from a common ancestral stock, filling available ecological niches (also divergent radiation)