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

Seaport Research analyst Jay Goldberg told MarketWatch that a combination of the Reuters report and broader interest-rate concerns were contributing to the stock’s weakness recently.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

Office-to-residential conversions have boomed over the past half-decade as cities contend with a combination of empty office space and chronic housing shortages.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Some wordplay to end the day: Take a quick break with Slate’s Pears game, which challenges you to make as many words out of one combination of letters as you can.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

The scientists say this combination of specialized pathways and electrical communication offers the retina the best of both approaches.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

In order to keep the meter going steadily, every measure must have a combination of notes and rests that is equivalent to four quarter notes.

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

And by the end of my night, strangers were socializing, showing off their painted cookie creations, sharing Banksy tidbits and asking for recommendations on various vinaigrette combinations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

An international team has demonstrated that AI can rapidly narrow an almost limitless number of possible material combinations to identify the most promising candidates.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 7, 2026

Large language models comb popular texts, recycle them into new combinations, and send the repurposed product back to customers, who close the feedback loop with a click.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

It's why in recent games, despite the tweaks, we've still seen Mbappe, Olise, Doue, Dembele and Bradley Barcola all rotate across the forward line, playing small-space combinations built on strong on-field understanding rather than patterns.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

But all Dad gave me in return was one of those I’m sorry face-shrug combinations.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

Related Words

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