WordWeb Online

1. (botany) 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"
    
2. Every second one of a series
   "the cleaning lady comes on alternate Wednesdays"
    
3. Serving or used in place of another
   "an alternate plan";
   - alternative, substitute
    
4. Occurring by turns; first one and then the other
   "alternate feelings of love and hate";
   - alternating

1. Go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions
   - jump
    
2. Exchange people temporarily to fulfil certain jobs and functions
    
3. Be an understudy or alternate for a role
   - understudy
    
4. Reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
   - interchange, tack, switch, flip, flip-flop
    
5. Do something in turns
   "We alternate on the night shift";
   - take turns

1. Someone who takes the place of another person
   - surrogate, replacement

Derived forms: alternating, alternates, alternated

See also: cyclic, cyclical, secondary

Type of: act, alter, backup, backup man, change, change by reversal, con [archaic], exchange, fill-in, learn, memorise [Brit], memorize, move, relief, reliever, reverse, stand-in, substitute, turn, vary

Antonym: opposite

Encyclopedia: Alternate