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Meaning of alternate in English
Pronunciation
/ˈɔltərˌneɪt/
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Verb
alternate
Etymology
early 16th century (earlier (late Middle English) as alternation): from Latin alternat-‘done by turns’, from alternare, from alternus‘every other’, from alter‘other’
Definitions
1.
go back and forth
Examples
« swing back and forth between two states or conditions »
2.
exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions
3.
be an understudy or alternate for a role
4.
reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
5.
do something in turns
Examples
« We take turns on the night shift »
Classifying Adjective
alternate
Definitions
1.
allowing a choice
Examples
« an alternative plan »
Synonyms
secondary
Noun
alternate
Definitions
1.
someone who takes the place of another person
Qualitative Adjective
alternate
Definitions
1.
of leaves and branches etc
Examples
« first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis »
« not paired »
« stems with alternate leaves »
Antonyms
opposite
paired