Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
alternative en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ɔlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/ (Australia)
- [ɔ̟lˈtøː.nə.təv] (New-Zealand)
- /ɒlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation, contemporary)
- /ɔːlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/ Received Pronunciation, conservatism
- /ɑlˈtɝ.nə.tɪv/ (General-American, cot-caught-merger, dialectal) of Canada
- /ɔlˈtɝ.nə.tɪv/ (US, dialectal) without the cot–caught merger
- ŏl-tûr′nə-tĭv
- (California) audio
- /ɒlˈtøː.nə.təv/ (New-Zealand)
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos
Proto-Italic *aljos
Proto-Indo-European *-teros
Proto-Italic *-teros
Proto-Italic *aliteros
Latin alter
Proto-Indo-European *-nós
Proto-Italic *-nos
Latin -nus
Latin alternus
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.
Proto-Italic *-ājō
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Latin alternō
Latin alternātus
Proto-Indo-European *-wós
Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.
Latin -īvus
Latin alternātīvusder.
Middle French alternatifbor.
English alternative
From Middle French alternatif, from Medieval Latin alternātīvus (“alternating”), from the participle stem of Latin alternō (“interchange, alternate”). By surface analysis, alternate + -ive. Compare alternate.
Meanings
-
(not-comparable) Relating to a choice between two or more possibilities.
There are two alternative theories as to why this phenomenon occurs.
an alternative proposition
Reason would seem to dictate that it was an alternative offer,—either to receive $15,000 if the grantor perform the condition or $12,000 if he did not perform the condition.
1911, “Phillips v. Rohrer”, in Penn State Law Review, volume 16, →OCLC, page 46:Who is right, Augusto or Unamuno? In general critics have seen this confrontation as offering an alternative choice: either we are free or we are predetermined.
2014, C.A. Longhurst, Unamuno's Theory of the Novel, Routledge, →ISBN, page 162:
-
(not-comparable) Relating to a choice between two or more possibilities. ▸ Presenting two or more alternatives.
alternative conjunctions like or
-
(not-comparable) Other; different from something else.
Exploring alternative realities isn't just a game for boys. In 1666, Margaret Cavendish, the Duchess of Newcastle, published a utopian fantasy of compelling strangeness.
2011 May 11, Sam Leith, “Sam Leith's top 10 alternative realities”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 07 Mar 2021:
-
(not-comparable) Not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground.
alternative medicine; alternative lifestyle; alternative rock
-
(not-comparable, obsolete) Alternate, reciprocal.
He [the Sun] it is that giveth light to all things, and riddeth them from darkneſſe : hee hideth the other ſtarres, and ſheweth them againe : he ordereth the ſeaſons in their alternative courſe : he tempereth the yeere, ariſing ever freſh and new againe, for the benefite and good of the world.
1601, Pliny the Elder, “Of the seuen Planets”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The History of the World Commonly Called the Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus, translation of Naturalis Historia (in Classical Latin), page 3:
Deriveds
mallternative · multialternative · alternative cannabinoid · alternative provision · dark alternative scene · nonalternative · altlang · alternative fact · alternative episcopal oversight · alternative fund · alternative fashion · alternative service · alternative medicine · alternative history · alternative denial · alternative pop · alternative timeline · alternative lifestyle · alternative fertilization · alternative right · alternativity · alternative liability · alternative algebra · alternative country · alternative universe · alternative minimum tax · alternative metal · coalternative · alternative dispute resolution · alternative vote · alternative hip hop · alternapop · alternative hip-hop · alternative school · alternative archaeology · alternative hypothesis · malternative · alternative tourism · alternative brit · alternative historian · alternateen · unalternative · alternative energy · y'allternative · alternative investment fund · alternarock · alternative beta · alternative rock · alternativist · alternative investment · altnoid · alternative left · alternative press · alternative RNA splicing · alternative music · alternative fuel
Relateds
alternativeness · alternate · alternativism
Synonyms
disjunctive
Translations (75)
it alternativo (relating to a choice) · hi वैकल्पिक (relating to a choice) · sh а̏лтернатӣван (relating to a choice) · hu vagylagos (relating to a choice) · ms alternatif (relating to a choice) · ca alternatiu (other) · ru альтернати́вный (other) · da alternativ (other) · sh ȁlternatīvan (other) · pt alternativo (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · eo anstataŭa (relating to a choice) · sk alternatívny (relating to a choice) · uk альтернати́вний (other) · pt alternativo (relating to a choice) · hy այլընտրանքային (relating to a choice) · sv alternativ (other) · bg или-или (relating to a choice) · cs alternativní (relating to a choice) · te ప్రత్యామ్నాయం (relating to a choice) · bg алтернативен (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · hu másik (other) · tr başka (other) · pt alternativo (other) · gl alternativo (other) · be альтэрнаты́ўны (other) · el προαιρετικός (relating to a choice) · bg алтернати́вен (other) · kk балама (relating to a choice) · mwl alternatibo (relating to a choice) · fr alternatif (relating to a choice) · hu alternatív (other) · bg разли́чен (other) · bg необичаен (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · pl alternatywny (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · sh ȁlternatīvan (relating to a choice) · gl alternativo (relating to a choice) · bg алтернати́вен (relating to a choice) · es alternativo (relating to a choice) · ru альтернати́вный (relating to a choice) · bg друга възмо́жност (relating to a choice) · it alternativo (other) · da alternativ (relating to a choice) · sh а̏лтернатӣван (other) · hu más (other) · ja 代替 (other) · fi vaihtoehtoinen (other) · el εναλλακτικός (relating to a choice) · te ప్రత్యామ్నాయం (other) · de alternativ (other) · sv alternativ (relating to a choice) · ml പകരം (other) · ml ബദൽ (relating to a choice) · el εναλλακτικός (other) · cmn 另類 /另类 (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · hi वैकल्पिक (other) · pl alternatywny (other) · cmn 選項 /选项 (relating to a choice) · bg друг (other) · no alternativ (relating to a choice) · de alternativ (relating to a choice) · eo anstataŭa (other) · es alternativo (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · be альтэрнаты́ўны (relating to a choice) · no alternativ (other) · ca alternatiu (relating to a choice) · fi vaihtoehtoinen (relating to a choice) · nl alternatief (relating to a choice) · hu alternatív (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · uk альтернати́вний (relating to a choice) · tr farklı (other) · fr autre (other) · ml പകരം (relating to a choice) · pl alternatywny (relating to a choice) · ca alternatiu (not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground) · hu választó ((linguistics) presenting two or more alternatives)
alternative en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ɔlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/ (Australia)
- [ɔ̟lˈtøː.nə.təv] (New-Zealand)
- /ɒlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation, contemporary)
- /ɔːlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/ Received Pronunciation, conservatism
- /ɑlˈtɝ.nə.tɪv/ (General-American, cot-caught-merger, dialectal) of Canada
- /ɔlˈtɝ.nə.tɪv/ (US, dialectal) without the cot–caught merger
- ŏl-tûr′nə-tĭv
- (California) audio
- /ɒlˈtøː.nə.təv/ (New-Zealand)
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos
Proto-Italic *aljos
Proto-Indo-European *-teros
Proto-Italic *-teros
Proto-Italic *aliteros
Latin alter
Proto-Indo-European *-nós
Proto-Italic *-nos
Latin -nus
Latin alternus
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.
Proto-Italic *-ājō
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Latin alternō
Latin alternātus
Proto-Indo-European *-wós
Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.
Latin -īvus
Latin alternātīvusder.
Middle French alternatifbor.
English alternative
From Middle French alternatif, from Medieval Latin alternātīvus (“alternating”), from the participle stem of Latin alternō (“interchange, alternate”). By surface analysis, alternate + -ive. Compare alternate.
Meanings
-
A situation which allows a mutually exclusive choice between two or more possibilities; a choice between two or more possibilities.
“The cloister or a betrothed husband?” I echoed—“Is that the alternative destined for Miss Vernon?”
1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], chapter [XI], in Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 268:I gave you the alternative; you decided to stay.
-
One of several mutually exclusive things which can be chosen.
Between these alternatives there is no middle ground. The Constitution is either a superior, paramount law, unchangeable by ordinary means, or it is on a level with ordinary legislative acts, and, like other acts, is alterable when the legislature shall please to alter it.
1803, Chief Justice John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison:
-
The remaining option; something available after other possibilities have been exhausted.
-
(uncountable) alternative rock
-
A non-offensive word or phrase that serves as a replacement for a word deemed offensive or unacceptable, though not as a euphemism.
Disability activists discourage the use of the words "crazy" and "insane" due to their negative connections to mental health, suggesting alternatives such as "wild", "silly", or "out of this world", which do not relate to mental health.
Forms
Antonyms
opposing · different
Deriveds
Tits alternative · adult alternative · adult album alternative
Relateds
variant
Synonyms
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:option
Translations (68)
ro alternativ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · fi vaihtoehto (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · ga rogha (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · pt alternativa (one of several things which can be chosen) · ru альтернати́ва (one of several things which can be chosen) · hu alternatíva (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · de Alternative (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · mwl alternatiba (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · ml ബദൽ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · kmr alternatîv (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · ckb ئاڵتێرناتیڤ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · nn alternativ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · ml പകരം (one of several things which can be chosen) · ja 選択肢 (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · de Alternative (one of several things which can be chosen) · ru альтернати́ва (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · pl alternatywa (one of several things which can be chosen) · ja 選択肢 (one of several things which can be chosen) · ga rogha (one of several things which can be chosen) · es alternativa (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · hi विकल्प (one of several things which can be chosen) · sh алтернати́ва (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · pl dysjunkcja (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · fr alternative (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · sh алтернати́ва (one of several things which can be chosen) · bg алтернати́ва (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · uk альтернати́ва (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · fr alternative (one of several things which can be chosen) · kmr alternatîf (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · be альтэрнаты́ва (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · be альтэрнаты́ва (one of several things which can be chosen) · bg алтернати́ва (one of several things which can be chosen) · no alternativ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · cs alternativa (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · he חֲלוּפָה (one of several things which can be chosen) · tr seçenek (one of several things which can be chosen) · mk алтернатива (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · sh alternatíva (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · pt alternativa (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · el επιλογή (one of several things which can be chosen) · yi ברירה (one of several things which can be chosen) · no alternativ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · uk альтернати́ва (one of several things which can be chosen) · mwl alternatiba (one of several things which can be chosen) · ckb ئەڵتەرناتیڤ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · tr alternatif (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · it alternativa (one of several things which can be chosen) · el εναλλαγή (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · da alternativ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · sv alternativ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · eo alternativo (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · tr seçenek (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · el διέξοδος (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · nb alternativ (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · sv alternativ (one of several things which can be chosen) · fi vaihtoehto (one of several things which can be chosen) · he אַלְטֶרְנָטִיבָה (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · no alternativ (one of several things which can be chosen) · he אַלְטֶרְנָטִיבָה (one of several things which can be chosen) · es alternativa (one of several things which can be chosen) · sh alternatíva (one of several things which can be chosen) · el εκλογή (one of several things which can be chosen) · eo alternativo (one of several things which can be chosen) · no alternativ (one of several things which can be chosen) · hy այլընտրանք (one of several things which can be chosen) · pl alternatywa (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · it alternativa (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities) · fa آلترناتیو (a situation which allows a choice between two or more possibilities)