alternate

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

/ verb ˈɔl tərˌneɪt, ˈæl-; adjective, noun ˈɔl tər nɪt, ˈæl- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR alternate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), al·ter·nat·ed, al·ter·nat·ing.

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

to change back and forth between conditions, states, actions, etc.: He alternates between hope and despair.

to take turns: My sister and I alternated in doing the dishes.

Electricity. to reverse direction or sign periodically.

Linguistics. to occur as a variant in alternation with another form.

verb (used with object), al·ter·nat·ed, al·ter·nat·ing.

to perform or do in succession or one after another: to alternate comedy acts; to alternate jogging and walking.

to interchange successively or regularly: to alternate hot and cold compresses.

adjective

being in a constant state of succession or rotation; interchanged repeatedly one for another: Winter and summer are alternate seasons.

reciprocal; mutual: alternate acts of kindness.

every second one of a series: Read only the alternate lines.

constituting an alternative: The alternate route is more scenic.

alternative(defs 4, 6).

Botany.

placed singly at different heights on the axis, on each side in succession, or at definite angular distances from one another, as leaves.
opposite to the intervals between other organs: petals alternate with sepals.

noun

a person authorized to fill the position, exercise the duties, etc., of another who is temporarily absent; substitute.

Theater.

either of two actors who take turns playing the same role.
an understudy.

alternative.

Origin of alternate

First recorded in 1505–15, alternate is from the Latin word alternātus (past participle of alternāre). See altern, -ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM alternate

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH alternate

alternate alternative

Words nearby alternate

altered chord, altered state of consciousness, altern, alternans, alternant, alternate, alternate angles, alternate binaural loudness balance test, alternate cover test, alternate hemianesthesia, alternate host

Example sentences from the Web for alternately

Wiseman as Samuel is alternately Devil-child and a cute young kid.

Grief: The Real Monster in The Babadook |Tim Teeman |December 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
What an alternately messed up, irresistibly catchy, reprehensible, utterly charming holiday classic.

The Most WTF Covers of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside,’ Everyone’s Favorite Date-Rape Holiday Classic |Kevin Fallon |November 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Somehow this guy survives, alternately running into the nearby water and charging at the lions.

Cumberbatch Impressions, Dad Sings ‘Blackbird’ to Dying Son, and More Viral Videos |The Daily Beast Video |November 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Forbes magazine has alternately called Hanauer insane and ignorant.

The Big, Long, 30-Year Conservative Lie |Monica Potts |August 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

They named their new community Nea Levissi, or New Levissi, as their original town was alternately known.

Turkey's Gorgeous Ghost Town |Nina Strochlic |July 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He resided here and at the Fort alternately until his death, which occurred in 1862.

Fifty Years In The Northwest |William Henry Carman Folsom
The policy of successive captains-general was alternately uncompromisingly repressive and conciliatory.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 |Various
It was a stuffy, disagreeable ride, and I was alternately vexed with Roger and worried about him.

Margarita's Soul |Ingraham Lovell
Fortunately the obligation was cancelled by the second, or the visits and dinners might have gone on alternately, ad infinitum.

Northern Travel |Bayard Taylor
Then alternately Goriot blamed his daughters and pardoned their unfilial and selfish behaviour.

The World's Greatest Books, Vol. I |Various

British Dictionary definitions for alternately (1 of 2)

alternately

/ (ɔːlˈtɜːnɪtlɪ) /

adverb

in an alternating sequence or position

British Dictionary definitions for alternately (2 of 2)

alternate

verb (ˈɔːltəˌneɪt)

(often foll by with) to occur or cause to occur successively or by turns day and night alternate

(intr often foll by between) to swing repeatedly from one condition, action, etc, to another he alternates between success and failure

(tr) to interchange regularly or in succession

(intr) (of an electric current, voltage, etc) to reverse direction or sign at regular intervals, usually sinusoidally, the instantaneous value varying continuously

(intr often foll by for) theatre to understudy another actor or actress

adjective (ɔːlˈtɜːnɪt)

occurring by turns alternate feelings of love and hate

every other or second one of a series he came to work on alternate days

being a second or further choice; alternative alternate director

botany

(of leaves, flowers, etc) arranged singly at different heights on either side of the stem
(of parts of a flower) arranged opposite the spaces between other partsCompare opposite (def. 4)

noun (ˈɔːltənɪt, ɔːlˈtɜːnɪt)

US and Canadian a person who substitutes for another in his absence; stand-in

Word Origin for alternate

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

Scientific definitions for alternately

alternate

[ ôl′tər-nĭt ]

Arranged singly at intervals on a stem or twig. Elms, birches, oaks, cherry trees, and hickory trees have alternate leaves. Compare opposite.

Arranged regularly between other parts, as stamens between petals on a flower.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

alternate

verb (used without object), al·ter·nat·ed, al·ter·nat·ing.