Word a Day
alternate
What does alternate mean?
alternate (adjective): every second one of a series.
Definition: Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Where does alternate come from?
Borrowed from Latin alternātus, the perfect passive participle of Latin alternō (“to take turns”), from alternus (“one after another, by turns”), from alter (“other”) + -nus.
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “alternate”?
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What does “alternate” mean?
distinct, sharp, well-marked
Not quite: that's what clear means.
all-encompassing, all around
Not quite: that's what overall means.
every second one of a series
Right! That's what “alternate” means.
specific; discrete; concrete
Not quite: that's what particular means.
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