Dictionary.com
definitions

alternation

[ awl-ter-ney-shuh n, al- ]
/ ˌɔl tərˈneɪ ʃən, ˌæl- /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR alternation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or process of alternating or the state of being alternated.
alternate succession; repeated rotation: the alternation of the seasons.
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.
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.

RELATED CONTENT

Burpees And Other Exercises ExplainedRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
No Offense, These Words Used To Be InoffensiveRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

interchange, rotation, variation, shift, transposition

Nearby words

  1. alternating pulse,
  2. alternating series,
  3. alternating tremor,
  4. alternating voltage,
  5. alternating-gradient focusing,
  6. alternation of generations,
  7. alternation of heart,
  8. alternative,
  9. alternative conjunction,
  10. alternative curriculum

Origin of alternation

First recorded in 1605–15, alternation is from the Late Latin word alternātiōn- (stem of alternātiō). See alternate, -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for alternation

British Dictionary definitions for alternation

alternation

/ (ˌɔːltəˈneɪʃən) /

noun

successive change from one condition or action to another and back again repeatedly
logic another name for disjunction (def. 3)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for alternation

alternation

n.

mid-15c., from Old French alternacion, from Latin alternationem (nominative alternatio), noun of action from past participle stem of alternare (see alternate (v.)).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for alternation

alternation

[ ôl′tər-nā′shən, ăl′- ]

n.

Successive change from one thing or state to another and back again.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.