Pronunciation: /ˈɔːltərnət/

Definitions of alternate

noun a person who takes the place of another

Example Sentences

A1 I prefer to take the alternate route to avoid traffic.

A2 The alternate plan is to meet at the park instead of the library.

B1 The alternate option is to reschedule the meeting for next week.

B2 We need to consider alternate solutions to this problem.

C1 The committee discussed the alternate proposals before making a decision.

C2 The alternate course of action proved to be more effective in the long run.

verb to take turns or to occur in turns

Example Sentences

A1 I alternate between coffee and tea for my morning drink.

A2 She alternates her workout routine to keep things interesting.

B1 The students will alternate reading aloud in class.

B2 The chef likes to alternate between traditional and modern cooking techniques.

C1 The band members alternate playing different instruments during the concert.

C2 The schedule will alternate between morning and evening sessions for the conference.

adjective occurring or following by turns

Example Sentences

A1 I have an alternate route to avoid traffic on the main road.

A2 She suggested using an alternate method to solve the problem.

B1 The book offers an alternate perspective on the historical events.

B2 The committee proposed an alternate solution to the budget issue.

C1 The artist presented an alternate interpretation of the classic painting.

C2 The scientist proposed an alternate hypothesis to explain the results of the experiment.

adverb alternately

Example Sentences

A1 I prefer to alternate between walking and biking to work.

A2 She likes to alternate her workout routine to keep things interesting.

B1 In order to save money, they decided to alternate cooking dinner each night.

B2 The team agreed to alternate leadership responsibilities on a monthly basis.

C1 The author's writing style alternates between humor and seriousness.

C2 The pianist's fingers moved swiftly as he played the alternate version of the piece.

Examples of alternate in a Sentence

formal The committee decided to choose an alternate route for the project.

informal Let's take the alternate path to avoid traffic.

slang I heard there's an alternate way to get in without waiting in line.

figurative She always tries to find an alternate solution to any problem.

Grammatical Forms of alternate

past tense

alternated

plural

alternates

comparative

more alternate

superlative

most alternate

present tense

alternate

future tense

will alternate

perfect tense

has alternated

continuous tense

is alternating

singular

alternate

positive degree

alternate

infinitive

to alternate

gerund

alternating

participle

alternating

Origin and Evolution of alternate

First Known Use: 1530 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'alternate' originated from the Latin word 'alternatus', which is the past participle of 'alternare' meaning 'to do by turns'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'alternate' has evolved to also mean 'occurring in turns' or 'every other'. It is commonly used in various contexts to indicate a switch or rotation between two or more options.