adj · noun · verb · 21 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
rhymes with -eɪt
UK:/ɒlˈtɜː(ɹ).nət/
UK:/ɔːlˈtɜː(ɹ).nət/
Received-Pronunciation:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:/ˈɔl.tɚ.nət/
US:/ˈɑl.tɚ.nət/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
UK:/ˈɒl.tə(ɹ)ˌneɪt/
UK:/ˈɔːl.tə(ɹ)ˌneɪt/
Received-Pronunciation:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:/ˈɔl.tɚ.neɪt/
US:/ˈɑl.tɚ.neɪt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AO1 L T ER0 N AH0 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AO1 L T ER0 N EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Happening by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; first one and then the other (repeatedly).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Happening by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; first one and then the other (repeatedly).
Alternating; (of e.g. a pair of tinctures which a charge is coloured) succeeding in turns, or (relative to the field) counterchanged.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Designating the members in a series, which regularly intervene between the members of another series, as the odd or even numbers of the numerals; every other; every second.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: mathematics, sciences
Examples
the alternate members 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Other; alternative.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, not-comparable
Examples
Hyperlinked text is displayed in alternate color in a Web browser.
He lives in an alternate universe and an alternate reality.
Let's take an alternate route to avoid the traffic jam.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Distributed singly at different heights of the stem, and at equal intervals as respects angular divergence
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
Examples
Many trees have alternate leaf arrangement (e.g. birch, oak and mulberry).
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
That which alternates with something else; vicissitude.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A substitute; an alternative; one designated to take the place of another, if necessary, in performing some duty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
Examples
An alternate for the first-string quarterback played the entire first half.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A proportion derived from another proportion by interchanging the means.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
A replacement of equal or greater value or function.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To happen, succeed, or act by turns; to follow reciprocally in place or time; followed by with.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The flood and ebb tides alternate with each other.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To vary by turns.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The land alternates between rocky hills and sandy plains.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
verb
Meaning 13
To perform an alternation (removal of alternate vertices) on (a polytope or tessellation); to remove vertices (from a face or edge) as part of an alternation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: geometry, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
adjective
Meaning 14
of leaves and branches etc; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
stems with alternate leaves
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: opposite
15
adjective satellite
Meaning 15
serving or used in place of another
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an alternative plan
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: alternative, substitute
Antonyms: none provided
16
noun
Meaning 16
someone who takes the place of another person
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: understudy
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: memorize, memorise, con, learn
21
verb
Meaning 21
exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: exchange
Narrower terms: rotate
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin alternātus, the perfect passive participle of Latin alternō (“to take turns”) (see -ate (1,2 and 3)), from alternus (“one after another, by turns”), from alter (“other”) + -nus. Doublet of altern; see also alter.
Across languages
Translations
108 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
редуващ се
(reduvašt se)
— being or succeeding by turns
Czech:
střídavý
— being or succeeding by turns
Estonian:
vahelduv
— being or succeeding by turns
Finnish:
vuorotteleva
— being or succeeding by turns
German:
alternierend
— being or succeeding by turns
German:
wechselnd
— being or succeeding by turns
German:
abwechselnd
— being or succeeding by turns
German:
Wechsel-
— being or succeeding by turns
Italian:
alterno
— being or succeeding by turns
Italian:
alternato
— being or succeeding by turns
Latin:
alternus
— being or succeeding by turns
Polish:
alternować
— being or succeeding by turns
Polish:
naprzemienny
— being or succeeding by turns
Portuguese:
alternado
— being or succeeding by turns
Portuguese:
alternante
— being or succeeding by turns
Spanish:
alterno
— being or succeeding by turns
Swedish:
växlande
— being or succeeding by turns
Swedish:
omväxlande
— being or succeeding by turns
Swedish:
alternerande
— being or succeeding by turns
Welsh:
bob yn ail
— being or succeeding by turns
Czech:
střídavý
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
Danish:
hveranden
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
Finnish:
joka toinen
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
German:
jeweils anderer
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
German:
jeweils andere
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
German:
jeweils anderes
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
Swedish:
varannan
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
Tagalog:
salisi
— mathematics: designating the members in a series
Bulgarian:
друг
(drug)
— other; alternative
Bulgarian:
алтернативен
(alternativen)
— other; alternative
Czech:
alternativní
— other; alternative
Czech:
náhradní
— other; alternative
Danish:
alternativ
— other; alternative
Dutch:
alternatief
— other; alternative
Finnish:
vaihtoehtoinen
— other; alternative
Finnish:
vaihtoehto-
— other; alternative
French:
alternatif
— other; alternative
French:
alternative
— other; alternative
German:
alternativ
— other; alternative
German:
abgeändert
— other; alternative
German:
andersartig
— other; alternative
German:
anderer
— other; alternative
German:
andere
— other; alternative
German:
anderes
— other; alternative
Hindi:
वैकल्पिक
(vaikalpik)
— other; alternative
Norwegian Bokmål:
alternativ
— other; alternative
Portuguese:
alternativo
— other; alternative
Spanish:
alterno
— other; alternative
Swedish:
alternativ
— other; alternative
Turkish:
alternatif
— other; alternative
Turkish:
başka
— other; alternative
Finnish:
vuorottainen
— botany: distributed, as leaves
German:
wechselständig
— botany: distributed, as leaves
Welsh:
bob yn ail
— botany: distributed, as leaves
