alternate

[ verb awl-ter-neyt, al-; adjective noun awl-ter-nit, al- ]

verb (used without object)

, al·ter·nat·ed, al·ter·nat·ing.

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

   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.

verb (used with object)

, al·ter·nat·ed, al·ter·nat·ing.

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 ( defs 4, 6 ).
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

verb

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

   day and night alternate

2. introften foll bybetween 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. introften foll byfor theatre to understudy another actor or actress

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

/ 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.

Other Words From

• alter·nate·ly adverb
• alter·nate·ness noun
• alter·nating·ly adverb
• non·alter·nating adjective
• quasi-alter·nating adjective
• quasi-alter·nating·ly adverb
• un·alter·nated adjective
• un·alter·nating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of alternate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of alternate¹

C16: from Latin alternāre to do one thing and then another, from alternus one after the other, from alter other

Example Sentences

Grounded by Harden’s natural and loosely charming performance, Khalid treats his nightmare scenario with an alternating sense of anxiety and buoyant, joshing can-do attitude.

From New York Times

Democrats are seeking alternate ways to get the evidence into the public light if Johnson continues to suppress it.

From Salon

When a supervisor's own boss alternated between abusive and ethical leadership, the study found, it created additional uncertainty and eroded employees' confidence in the supervisor's capabilities.

From Science Daily

Written in 1974 in opposition to the Vietnam War, the science fiction novel alternates between present and future civilizations on two worlds in a distant constellation.

From Los Angeles Times

A spokesperson from Cambridgeshire Police advised motorists to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

From BBC

Related Words

• alter
• intersperse
• rotate
• vary
• waver