\A*dopt"er\, n.
1. One who adopts.

2. (Chem.) A receiver, with two necks, opposite to each
   other, one of which admits the neck of a retort, and the
   other is joined to another receiver. It is used in
   distillations, to give more space to elastic vapors, to
   increase the length of the neck of a retort, or to unite
   two vessels whose openings have different diameters.
   [Written also {adapter}.]