alternation

American  

[awl-ter-ney-shuhn, al-] / ˌɔl tərˈneɪ ʃən, ˌæl- /

noun

1. the act or process of alternating or the state of being alternated.

2. alternate succession; repeated rotation.

   the alternation of the seasons.

3. Electricity. a single fluctuation in the absolute value of an alternating current or voltage from zero to a maximum and back to zero, being equal to one half cycle.

4. Linguistics. variation in the form of a linguistic unit as it occurs in different environments or under different conditions, as between the -ed and -en forms of the past participle in danced and spoken or between the (t) and (d) pronunciations of the past tense suffix -ed in hopped and rubbed.

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alternation British  

/ ˌɔːltəˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. successive change from one condition or action to another and back again repeatedly

2. logic another name for disjunction

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Etymology

Origin of alternation

First recorded in 1605–15, alternation is from the Late Latin word alternātiōn- (stem of alternātiō ). See alternate, -ion

Example Sentences

"Alternation will always be organised through free, democratic and transparent elections open to all citizens."

From Reuters • May 30, 2023

Alternation, the Donnie Von Hemel-trained winner of the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park in May, held on for second.

From Washington Post • Oct. 17, 2011

Alternation earned $5.80 and $3.80, while Prayer for Relief returned $2.80.

From Washington Post • Oct. 17, 2011

According to the Daily Racing Form, Alternation will concentrate on major stakes events over the summer.

From New York Times • May 30, 2011

Alternation of color occurs not only where it is needed to distinguish bars, but also where we have only lines of dots, which are of course self-separating.

From Commentary Upon the Maya-Tzental Perez Codex with a Concluding Note Upon the Linguistic Problem of the Maya Glyphs by Gates, William