noun / verb
option
AHP-shuhn/ˈɑːpʃn/
An available choice or course of action.
Each key on the tray presents a different option for selection.
Etymology
From a verb meaning “to desire or choose,” option first named the act or freedom of choosing. It later came to mean a thing available to be chosen.
In context
option number two is a little bit better here you simply accept the severance offer
More examples
- The menu includes several vegetarian options.
- Our lease gives us an option to buy the house.
- The producer optioned the novel for a possible film adaptation.
Forms
option · options · optioned · optioning
optional adjective — Available to choose but not required.
Similar words
- choice
- Can mean an available possibility or the decision itself.
- alternative
- Emphasizes a different possibility that can replace another.