alternate

American  

[awl-ter-neyt, al-, awl-ter-nit, al-] / ˈɔl tərˌneɪt, ˈæl-, ˈɔl tər nɪt, ˈæl- /

verb (used without object)

alternated, alternating

1. to interchange repeatedly and regularly with one another in time or place; rotate (usually followed bywith ).

   Day alternates with night.

2. to change back and forth between conditions, states, actions, etc..

   He alternates between hope and despair.

3. to take turns.

   My sister and I alternated in doing the dishes.

4. Electricity.  to reverse direction or sign periodically.

5. Linguistics.  to occur as a variant in alternation with another form.

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verb (used with object)

alternated, alternating

1. to perform or do in succession or one after another.

   to alternate comedy acts; to alternate jogging and walking.

2. to interchange successively or regularly.

   to alternate hot and cold compresses.

adjective

1. being in a constant state of succession or rotation; interchanged repeatedly one for another.

   Winter and summer are alternate seasons.

2. reciprocal; mutual.

   alternate acts of kindness.

3. every second one of a series.

   Read only the alternate lines.

4. constituting an alternative.

   The alternate route is more scenic.

5. alternative.

6. Botany.

   1. placed singly at different heights on the axis, on each side in succession, or at definite angular distances from one another, as leaves.

   2. opposite to the intervals between other organs.

      petals alternate with sepals.

noun

1. a person authorized to fill the position, exercise the duties, etc., of another who is temporarily absent; substitute.

2. Theater.

   1. either of two actors who take turns playing the same role.

   2. an understudy.

3. alternative.

alternate British  

verb

1. (often foll by with) to occur or cause to occur successively or by turns

   day and night alternate

2. to swing repeatedly from one condition, action, etc, to another

   he alternates between success and failure

3. (tr) to interchange regularly or in succession

4. (intr) (of an electric current, voltage, etc) to reverse direction or sign at regular intervals, usually sinusoidally, the instantaneous value varying continuously

5. theatre to understudy another actor or actress

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adjective

1. occurring by turns

   alternate feelings of love and hate

2. every other or second one of a series

   he came to work on alternate days

3. being a second or further choice; alternative

   alternate director

4. botany

   1. (of leaves, flowers, etc) arranged singly at different heights on either side of the stem

   2. (of parts of a flower) arranged opposite the spaces between other parts Compare opposite

noun

1. a person who substitutes for another in his absence; stand-in

alternate Scientific  

/ ôl′tər-nĭt /

1. Arranged singly at intervals on a stem or twig. Elms, birches, oaks, cherry trees, and hickory trees have alternate leaves.

2. Compare opposite

3. Arranged regularly between other parts, as stamens between petals on a flower.

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Other Word Forms

• alternately adverb
• alternateness noun
• alternatingly adverb
• nonalternating adjective
• quasi-alternating adjective
• quasi-alternatingly adverb
• unalternated adjective
• unalternating adjective

Etymology

Origin of alternate

First recorded in 1505–15, alternate is from the Latin word alternātus (past participle of alternāre ). See altern, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

The dictator is clearly nervous, alternating between pleas for “peace” and defiant calls for national resistance.

From The Wall Street Journal

They’re constructing an alternate visual record designed to shape and control collective perception.

From Salon

These are the structures known as Coloe Fossae, created when alternating blocks of surface material dropped downward.

From Science Daily

In fact, this may be one reason why Brahms’ only solo music for viola was an alternate version he made of his two clarinet sonatas composed near the end of his life.

From Los Angeles Times

Healthcare politics and investing might as well be living in alternate universes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• alter
• intersperse
• rotate
• vary
• waver