alternate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To do two things one after the other, by turns.

   I alternate between biking and swimming for exercise.

2. 2
   adj

   Happening or appearing one after the other in turns.

   We see her on alternate weekends.

3. 3
   adj

   Used instead of another; alternative.

   We took an alternate route to avoid the traffic.

4. 4
   noun

   A person or thing kept ready to take the place of another.

   She served as an alternate in case a member of the team got sick.

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.

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