noun / adjective
alternative
awl-TUR-nuh-tiv/ɔːlˈtɜːrnətɪv/
An option different from an existing or conventional one.
The shopper considers a different shoe as an alternative to her first choice.
Etymology
Doing one thing and then another developed into offering one or the other. The noun first described opposed statements, accepting one and rejecting the other, before extending to available courses of action or objects.
In context
Alternative one, they loved, but it was slightly too high. Alternative two -- let's call it house number B
More examples
- Cycling offers an alternative to driving in heavy traffic.
- The station broadcasts alternative music outside the mainstream.
- We compare several alternatives before selecting a plan.
Forms
alternative · alternatives
Similar words
- option
- Any available choice, not necessarily opposed to an established one.
- substitute
- Specifically takes the place of something else.