alternation
UK /ˈɒl.tə(ɹ)ˌneɪ.ʃən/ · US /ˈɔl.tɚˌneɪ.ʃən/ noun
Forms alternations
- noun The reciprocal succession of (normally two) things in time or place; the act of following and being followed by turns; alternate succession, performance, or occurrence “the alternation of day and night”
- noun (religion) The response of the congregation speaking alternately with the minister.
- noun (phonology) Ablaut.
- noun (linguistics) A pattern by which more than one construct is possible, as with "Alice cooked Bob dinner" and "Alice cooked dinner for Bob". “dative alternation; locative alternation”
- noun (logic) The "inclusive or" truth function.
- noun (mathematics) A sequence that alternates between positive and negative values.
- noun (mathematics, proscribed) A permutation.
- noun (computing) A construct in a regular expression that can match any of several specified subexpressions.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin alternatio; compare French alternation. By surface analysis, alternate + -ion.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The reciprocal succession of things in time or place; the act of following and being followed by turns; alternate succession, performance, or occurrence; as, the alternation of day and night, cold and heat, summer and winter, hope and fear.
- noun Permutation.
Etymology [L. alternatio: cf. F. alternation.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “alternation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details