— cooptation, co-optation, cooption, co-option /koh op"sheuhn/ , n. — cooptative, co-optative /koh op"teuh tiv/ , cooptive, co-optive , adj.
/koh opt"/ , v.t.
1. to elect into a body by the votes of the existing members.
2. to assimilate, take, or win over into a larger or established group: The fledgling Labor party was coopted by the Socialist party.
3. to appropriate as one's own; preempt: The dissidents have coopted the title of her novel for their slogan.
Also, co-opt .
[ 1645-55; cooptare. See CO-, OPT ]