American Heritage Dictionary:
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al·ter·na·tive
(ôl-tûr'nə-tĭv, ăl-) 
n.
n.
- The choice between two mutually exclusive possibilities.
- A situation presenting such a choice.
- Either of these possibilities. See synonyms at choice.
- Usage Problem. One of a number of things from which one must be chosen.
- Allowing or necessitating a choice between two or more things.
- Existing outside traditional or established institutions or systems: an alternative lifestyle.
- Espousing or reflecting values that are different from those of the establishment or mainstream: an alternative newspaper; alternative greeting cards.
- Usage Problem. Substitute or different; other.
USAGE NOTE Some traditionalists hold that alternative should be used only in situations where the number of choices involved is exactly two, because of the word's historical relation to Latin alter, "the other of two." Despite the word's longstanding use to mean "one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen" and the acceptance of this usage by many language critics, a substantial portion of the Usage Panel adheres to the traditional view, with only 49 percent accepting the sentence Of the three alternatives, the first is the least distasteful. • Alternative is also sometimes used to refer to a variant or substitute in cases where there is no element of choice involved, as in We will do our best to secure alternative employment for employees displaced by the closing of the factory. This sentence is unacceptable to 60 percent of the Usage Panel. • Alternative should not be confused with alternate. Correct usage requires The class will meet on alternate (not alternative) Tuesdays.
alternative
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Antonyms by Answers.com:
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alternative
n
Definition: possible choice
Antonyms: compulsion, constraint, necessity, obligation, restraint
Word Tutor:
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alternative
IN BRIEF: A choice between two or more things.
A garden is the best alternative therapy.
— Germaine Greer
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Sign Language Videos:
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alternative
sign description: The fingertips of one V handshape taps back and forth on the fingertips of the other V handshape.
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Alternative
 |
Look up alternative, alternativism, or alternate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Alternative may refer to:
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Contents
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Genres of music
- Alternative bouyon
- Alternative country
- Alternative dance
- Alternative hip hop
- Alternative metal
- Alternative rock
Mathematics and science
- Alternative algebra, an abstract algebra with alternative multiplication
- Alternate leaves, a classification in botanical phyllotaxis
Finance
- Alternative investment, investment other than stocks, bond (finance), money funds, and cash
Education
- Alternative education, non-traditional education
- Alternative school, a school geared towards students whose needs cannot be met in a traditional school
Culture and society
- Alternative comics, a genre of comic strips and books
- Alternative comedy, a range of styles used by comedians and writers in the 1980s
- Alternative culture, a variety of subcultures existing along the fringes of mainstream culture
- Alternative dispute resolution, processes and techniques outside the traditional mainstream of jurisprudence
- Alternative fashion, for example Gothic fashion, Punk fashion, Fetish fashion
- Alternative lifestyle, a lifestyle that it is not within the cultural norm
- Alternative media, media practices falling outside the mainstreams of corporate communication
- Alternative medicine, healing practice that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine
- Alternative (Kamen Rider), a character in the Japanese TV series, Kamen Rider Ryuki
- Alternative, an album by Pet Shop Boys
- The Alternative (album), an album by IAMX
 |
This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Translations:
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Alternative
Dansk (Danish)
adj. - alternativ, anden
n. - alternativ, valgmulighed
idioms:
- alternative arrangement alternativ mulighed, nødløsning
- alternative comedy alternativ komedie, politisk korrekt komedie
- alternative energy alternativ energi
- alternative medicine naturmedicin
Nederlands (Dutch)
alternatief
Français (French)
adj. - alternatif, autre, (Philos) alternatif, (Mil) de repli, (Tech) de rechange, (Aut) de délestage, différent (un mode de vie), (US, École) adoptant des méthodes nouvelles, nouveau, de substitution (une énergie)
n. - alternative, solution de remplacement, solution de rechange, choix, (Philos) terme d'une alternative, terme d'un dilemne
idioms:
- alternative arrangement solution de remplacement
- alternative comedy (Théât) nouvelle comédie, mouveau comique
- alternative energy énergie de substitution
- alternative medicine médecine douce, médecine alternative
Deutsch (German)
adj. - Alternativ-
n. - Alternative, Ausweichmöglichkeit
idioms:
- alternative arrangement Ausweichmöglichkeit
- alternative comedy sozialkritische Komödie (Komödiengattung, die Stereotypen ablehnt)
- alternative energy alternative Energie
- alternative medicine alternative Medizin
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - επιλογή, εναλλακτική λύση, εκλογή, διέξοδος
adj. - εναλλακτικός, διαζευκτικός
idioms:
- alternative arrangement εναλλακτική ρύθμιση
- alternative comedy ανατρεπτική κωμωδία
- alternative energy εναλλακτικές (φυσικές) πηγές ενέργειας
- alternative medicine εναλλακτική ιατρική
Italiano (Italian)
alternativa, alternativo
idioms:
- alternative comedy teatro alternativo
- alternative energy energia alternativa
- alternative medicine medicina alternativa
Português (Portuguese)
n. - alternativa (f), preferência (f)
adj. - alternativo
idioms:
- alternative comedy comédia (f) alternativa
- alternative energy energia (f) alternativa
- alternative medicine medicina (f) alternativa
Русский (Russian)
альтернатива, альтернативный
idioms:
- alternative comedy нетрадиционная комедия
- alternative energy неальтернативная энергия
- alternative medicine альтернативная медицина
Español (Spanish)
adj. - opción, alternativo
n. - alternativa, opción
idioms:
- alternative arrangement arreglo alternativo
- alternative comedy comedia alternativa
- alternative energy energía alternativa
- alternative medicine medicina alternativa
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - alternativ
adj. - alternativ
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
两者择一的, 替代的, 非此即彼的, 供选择的, 选择, 二择一, 选择的自由, 供选择的东西
idioms:
- alternative arrangement 交错排列, 替代安排, 替代方案
- alternative comedy 非传统的喜剧
- alternative energy 非传统能源
- alternative medicine 替代药品, 非现代西方医学传统的医药
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 兩者擇一的, 替代的, 非此即彼的, 供選擇的
n. - 選擇, 二擇一, 選擇的自由, 供選擇的東西
idioms:
- alternative arrangement 交錯排列, 替代安排, 替代方案
- alternative comedy 非傳統的喜劇
- alternative energy 非傳統能源
- alternative medicine 替代藥品, 非現代西方醫學傳統的醫藥
한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 하나를 고르는, 대신의
n. - 양자 택일, 대안
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 二者択一, 選択, 選べるもの, 代わりになるもの, 選択肢
adj. - どちらかの, 代わりの, 二者択一の
idioms:
- alternative arrangement 代案
- alternative comedy 熱狂的な支持者を持つ小演劇
- alternative energy 新エネルギー
- alternative medicine 代替医療
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) خياري (صفه) تخيير
עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - חלופי, אלטרנטיבי
n. - ברירה, חלופה, אלטרנטיבה
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Roget's Thesaurus
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 byHoughton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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US Defense Department Military Dictionary
US Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Words, 2003.
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Wikipedia on Answers.com
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Alternative.
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