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

Prada looks at a combination of factors beyond total spend, like purchase frequency, average price point and, importantly, their potential to spend more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

A combination of factors have contributed to rising yields lately, including a flood of debt issuance by both the U.S. government and money-hungry AI companies.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

Dawson was helped by the combination of turn and bounce on offer from the surface, something Ahmed was not afforded earlier in the series.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

That combination raised additional concerns about the amount of particulate matter occupants could inhale.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

Jonah didn’t answer, just began punching in a new combination: 0 9 1 9 .

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Walton appeared on Steve Harvey's television show aged 11 to showcase his boxing ability, throwing combinations on the pads before also demonstrating his gymnastics skills with a backflip.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Quantum mechanics allows particles to exist in combinations of possible states, a phenomenon known as superposition.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026

"It can look about a second, or so, ahead into the future for 20,000 different kind of combinations of things that might happen," Storey explains.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

When singer-songwriter Beck Hansen broke through in 1994, he was seen as an artist who shuffled sounds of the past to find novel combinations he could call his own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

It turns out that Didu and I share a lot of the same tastes, despite a fiery argument or two over color combinations.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

Related Words

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