Optional vs Alternative - What's the difference?
optional | alternative |
Not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.
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.
As adjectives the difference between optional and alternative
is that optional is not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective while alternative is relating to a choice between two or more possibilities.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.optional
English
Adjective
(-)- On that beach clothing is entirely optional .
Antonyms
* obligatory * mandatory * compulsoryalternative
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?’