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.

---

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

---

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

Wolf, whose previous nonfiction films include “Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell,” about the avant-garde musician, and “Spaceship Earth,” about the artificial ecosystem Biosphere 2, is 43 years old.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2025

"Effectiveness of Antidepressants in Combination with Psychotherapy" was published online in The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics in March 2024.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2024

"Combination vaccines offer an important opportunity to improve consumer and provider experience, increase compliance with public health recommendations and deliver value for health care systems."

From Salon • Oct. 5, 2023

Combination pills have been more popular in the United States, but that may be because progestin-only pills, which are widely used in Europe, have not been marketed much in this country, he said.

From New York Times • May 10, 2023

Combination steel and wood reaches, the sides being of channel iron and the center of wood, are favored by some operators.

From Motor Truck Logging Methods Engineering Experiment Station Series, Bulletin No. 12 by Knapp, Frederick Malcolm

Related Words

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