alternate

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1. Both words are adjectives and nouns and come from Latin alternus meaning 'every second' and have had closely related meanings over several centuries of usage. Now however, there is a clear distinction which needs to be observed. Alternate as an adjective means '(of two things) each following and followed by the other', as in alternate days. Alternative means 'available or usable instead of another', as in an alternative solution to the problem. In other words, an alternative thing replaces something else, whereas an alternate thing exists as well as something else. In current American English, alternate, with stress on the first syllable, has usurped the territory of alternative in its ordinary meaning

(I would have no fear about being able to make a safe landing at an alternate airport—USA Today, 2004).

2. Since the late 1960s the adjective has increasingly been used to mean 'purporting or claiming to represent an acceptable or preferable alternative to that in traditional use', as in alternative medicine (mainly homoeopathic or holistic), alternative energy (non-nuclear and not using fossil fuels), alternative fuel (and alternative-fuel vehicles, AFVs), alternative birthing (avoiding artificial methods), alternative society (rejecting traditional values), alternative technology (conserving resources), alternative theatre (using non-traditional techniques).

3. Alternative as a noun means something that is available or usable instead of something else. The traditional view that an alternative must be one of two possibilities, because the source word, Latin alter, means 'other of two' is not sustainable, and alternative has been regularly used since the mid-19th century with reference to any number of possibilities

(The aim of counselling is to open up the personal world of experience in which the person feels 'stuck' so that he or she may find alternative ways of coping with the world of events which confronts him or her—Counselling, 1983

Write to everyone who is providing you with goods or services confirming the details some weeks before the wedding so that you have time to make alternative arrangements if you have to—York Evening Press, 2004).

The traditional use is still found, and lies at the heart of the word, most often as the alternative

(The alternative of 'public limited company' is the abbreviation 'p.l.c.'—Companies Act, 1980).

4. Alternate as a noun is much less common. In American English it is often used with the meaning 'an alternative', a reserve (player), a variant

(I was fourth alternate in the Miss Teenage South Carolina pageant—William Boyd, 1984

The twelve jurors and six alternates in Room 318 of the United States Courthouse—New Yorker, 1986).

In British English this meaning is not found, although it is related to one that was in use in the 18th century.

5. Alternate is also a verb (pronounced -neit in the final syllable), meaning '(of two or more things) to succeed one another in turns':

In a democratic system political parties expect to alternate in office—P. Richards, 1988.

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verb

To do, use, or occur in successive turns: interchange, rotate. See change/persist.

noun

One that takes the place of another: replacement, stand-in, substitute, surrogate. Informal fill-in, pinch hitter, sub. See substitute.

adj

Definition: substitute
Antonyms: necessary

n

Definition: substitute
Antonyms: necessity

v

Definition: take turns, change back and forth
Antonyms: continue

A change in work, 1 described in the contract documents for a building that gives the owner the option of selecting various products, materials, or systems, and/or the right to add or delete portions of the work, 1.

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Occurring singly on alternate sides of a stem, not in pairs or whorls. Usually refers to leaves. See also opposite.

IN BRIEF: One chosen to act in place of another due to illness, etc.

Gertrude was elected as an alternate.

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For a list of words related to alternate, see:

• Politicians and Activists - alternate: one who acts as substitute, esp. for convention delegate

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See words rhyming with "alternate."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Alternate.

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Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - veksle, skifte
v. tr. - lade veksle, skifte mellem
adj. - skiftevis
n. - stedfortræder, suppleant

idioms:

• alternate angles    vekselvinkler
• alternating current    vekselstrøm

Nederlands (Dutch)
heen en weer wisselen, afwisselen, alternerend, alternatief, vervanger

Français (French)
v. intr. - alterner, se succéder, se relayer, travailler en alternance, (Élec) changer de sens de façon périodique
v. tr. - alterner
adj. - alterne, en alternance, alterné, (Bot, Math) alterne, croisée (une rime), tous les deux
n. - remplaçant, suppléant

idioms:

• alternate angles    (Math, Bot) angles alternes
• alternating current    (Élec) courant alternatif

Deutsch (German)
v. - sich abwechseln, alternieren, (Tech.) wechseln, (Psych.) schwanken
adj. - alternierend, abwechselnd, (Bot.) wechselständig
n. - Stellvertreter

idioms:

• alternate angles    (Math.) Wechselwinkel
• alternating current    (tech.) Wechselstrom

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - (μεταξύ δύο) εναλλάσσω/-ομαι, χρησιμοποιώ εναλλάξ
n. - αναπληρών, αναπληρωτής, (επίθ.) αλληλοδιάδοχος, εναλλάσσων, εναλλασσόμενος, αλλεπάλληλος

idioms:

• alternate angles    γωνίες εναλλάξ
• alternating current    (ηλεκτρ.) εναλλασσόμενο ρεύμα

Italiano (Italian)
alternare, alternarsi, sostituto

idioms:

• alternate angles    angoli alterni
• alternating current    corrente alternata

Português (Portuguese)
v. - alternar(-se), revezar(-se)
n. - substituto (m)

idioms:

• alternate angles    ângulos (f pl) alternos (Geom.)
• alternating current    corrente (f) alternada (Fís.) (Eletr.)

Русский (Russian)
чередоваться, сменять друг друга, исполняющий обязанности

idioms:

• alternate angles    противолежащие углы
• alternating current    переменный ток

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - alternarse, turnarse
v. tr. - variar, alternar, sustituir
adj. - alternante, variante
n. - suplente, substituto

idioms:

• alternate angles    ángulos alternos
• alternating current    corriente alterna

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - alternera, omväxla
n. - suppleant, ställföreträdare

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
轮流, 交替, 使轮流, 使交替, 轮流的, 交替的, 供选择的, 间隔的, 供替换的, 代理人, 候补者, 代替者

idioms:

• alternate angles    一对错角
• alternating current    交流电

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 輪流, 交替
v. tr. - 使輪流, 使交替
adj. - 輪流的, 交替的, 供選擇的, 間隔的, 供替換的
n. - 代理人, 候補者, 代替者

idioms:

• alternate angles    一對錯角
• alternating current    交流電

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 교대하다, 서로 엇갈리다
v. tr. - 교대로 하다, 서로 엇갈리게 하다
adj. - 교대의, 하나 건너의
n. - 대리

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 交互の, 一つおきの, 互い違いの, 代理の
n. - 代理人
v. - 交互になる, 交替する

idioms:

• alternate angles    錯角

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يناوب, يتعاقب (الاسم) متناوب, متعاقب‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮באו לסירוגין, התחלפו שוב ושוב‬
v. tr. - ‮החליף, סידר (שני דברים) זה אחר זה לסירוגין‬
adj. - ‮סירוגי, כל שני, חליפות‬
n. - ‮ממלא מקום‬

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