Alternative vs Interchangeable - What's the difference?
alternative | interchangeable |
Relating to a choice between two or more possibilities
Not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground (e.g., alternative medicine, alternative lifestyle, (alternative rock)).
Other.
alternate; reciprocal
A situation which allows a mutually exclusive choice between two or more possibilities; a choice between two or more possibilities.
* 1817 , (Walter Scott), Rob Roy , XI:
One of several mutually exclusive things which can be chosen.
The remaining option; something available after other possibilities have been exhausted.
Freely substitutable. May be swapped at will.
* 2014 , Ian Jack, "
As adjectives the difference between alternative and interchangeable
is that alternative is relating to a choice between two or more possibilities while interchangeable is freely substitutable. May be swapped at will.As a noun alternative
is a situation which allows a mutually exclusive choice between two or more possibilities; a choice between two or more possibilities.alternative
English
(wikipedia alternative)Adjective
(-)- an alternative proposition
- (Holland)
Derived terms
* alternative dispute resolution * alternative energy * alternative lifestyle * alternative medicine * alternative press * alternative voteNoun
(en noun)- ‘The cloister or a betrothed husband?’ I echoed—‘Is that the alternative destined for Miss Vernon?’
Synonyms
* See alsoSee also
*References
* * ----interchangeable
English
Adjective
(-)- Eli Whitney's development of interchangeable parts was a breakthrough for modern manufacturing. Prior to that each part had to be made custom.
Is this the end of Britishness", The Guardian , 16 September 2014:
- The English, until relatively recently, seem to have imagined “English” and “British” to be interchangeable , as if Britain was just a bigger England.