Dictionary definition · alternate
noun
- someone who takes the place of another person
verb
- go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions
- exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions
- be an understudy or alternate for a role
- reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
- do something in turns"We take turns on the night shift"
adjective
- every second one of a series"the cleaning lady comes on alternate Wednesdays"
- serving or used in place of another"an alternative plan"
- occurring by turns; first one and then the other"alternating feelings of love and hate"
- of leaves and branches etc.; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired"stems with alternate leaves"
Similar words
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).