combination

American  

[kom-buh-ney-shuhn] / ˌkɒm bəˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

combinations plural

1. the act of combining or the state of being combined.

   Synonyms:

   coalescence, union, conjunction, association

2. a number of things combined.

   a combination of ideas.

   Synonyms:

   amalgam, amalgamation, mixture

3. something formed by combining.

   A chord is a combination of notes.

4. an alliance of persons or parties.

   a combination in restraint of trade.

   Synonyms:

   conspiracy, cabal, bloc, monopoly, combine, cartel, coalition, league, federation, association

5. the set or series of numbers or letters used in setting the mechanism of a combination lock.

6. the parts of the mechanism operated by this.

7. Often combinations. a suit of underwear in one piece.

8. Mathematics.

   1. the arrangement of elements into various groups without regard to their order in the group.

   2. a group thus formed.

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combination British  

/ ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of combining or state of being combined

2. a union of separate parts, qualities, etc

3. an alliance of people or parties; group having a common purpose

4. 1. the set of numbers that opens a combination lock

   2. the mechanism of this type of lock

5. a motorcycle with a sidecar attached

6. maths

   1. an arrangement of the numbers, terms, etc, of a set into specified groups without regard to order in the group

      the combinations of a, b, and c, taken two at a time, are ab, bc, ac

   2. a group formed in this way. The number of combinations of n objects taken r at a time is n !/[( n – r )! r !]. Symbol: n C r Compare permutation

7. the chemical reaction of two or more compounds, usually to form one other compound

8. chess a tactical manoeuvre involving a sequence of moves and more than one piece

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intercombination
  noun
• noncombination
  noun
• precombination
  noun
• supercombination
  noun
• combinational
  adjective
• uncombinational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• combinations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of combination

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English combinacyoun, from Middle French, from Late Latin combīnātiōn-, stem of combīnātiō “a joining by twos,” equivalent to combīnāt(us) “combined,” literally, “joined by twos” (past participle of combīnāre; see combine) + -iō -ion

Explanation

A combination is a grouping together of separate things. Your desire to live to a big city might come from a combination of your dreams of being on stage, and your obsession with underground trains. Combination is the act of combining, which comes from the Latin for "joining together two by two," although it's not necessary that you combine things in pairs. Your famous party mix might be a combination of pretzels, nuts, and espresso beans. Your locker combination is the set of numbers you have to dial to open the lock. If you plan to go on a TV talent show, get ready to learn some dance combinations. Kick, spin, drop, roll!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

combination combinations

Experts have pointed to a combination of factors behind increasingly severe wildfire seasons, including drought, extreme heat, changing weather patterns and forest conditions.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

Like many parents, Heptinstall and her husband previously managed with a combination of organised childcare and annual leave to look after their older kids, who have now grown up and left home.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

The combination of isosteviol and duloxetine reduced microbial diversity within the synthetic community.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

Not a great combination; the young women they do approach, at Hao’s urging, seem to smell their fear.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Fill each measure with a different combination of note lengths.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

They allowed the community to develop and then exposed it to different combinations of sweeteners and drugs.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

Some combinations create value, but the only people consistently happy about the media industry’s penchant for dealmaking are investment bankers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

There is also the reality that all public dining is in some fashion immersive, usually requiring varying combinations of engagement, communication and presentation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

To identify these materials, researchers first used machine learning to rapidly screen enormous numbers of possible elemental combinations.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 7, 2026

So in fourteenth-century polyphony, the perfect fifth, the perfect fourth and the octave comprised the vast majority of note combinations, or chords, on offer.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• combo
• consolidation
• merger
• mix
• sequence
• solution