combination

American  

[kom-buh-nay-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

You could self-insure and set aside enough money, buy traditional long-term-care insurance, or decide upon a combination.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

That combination of detailed diet records and daily biological sampling made the project one of the largest and most detailed studies of its kind to date.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

The Bitcoin rally was going so well but digital assets have suddenly run into a combination of problems.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

Entirely self-sufficient, the National Trust-owned island relies on a combination of rainwater and boreholes drilled into the granite for supplies.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

A combination of new facts, and actual human contact with the people who ran the big firms and the rating agencies, had stirred his suspicion.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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

That process could help explain why large objects do not remain in the strange combinations of states allowed by quantum mechanics, such as the dead-and-alive situation imagined in Schrödinger's cat thought experiment.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026

Computational techniques could then be used to search for combinations of variation that provide the greatest benefit.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

But AstraZeneca is also due to release data on a cholesterol pill, combinations including its diabetes, heart and kidney medicine Farxiga, and other oncology drugs, the analysts add.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

When each of the two Viking orbiter-lander combinations was inserted into Martian orbit, it was unalterably committed to landing at a certain latitude on Mars.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

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