Elective vs Alternate - What's the difference?
elective | alternate |
Of, or pertaining to voting or elections
That involves a choice between options; optional or discretionary
* Bancroft
* Dryden
Something that is option or that may be elected, especially a course of tertiary study.
Being or succeeding by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; by turns first one and then the other; hence, reciprocal.
(mathematics) Designating the members in a series, which regularly intervene between the members of another series, as the odd or even numbers of the numerals; every other; every second.
(US) Other; alternative.
(botany) Distributed, as leaves, singly at different heights of the stem, and at equal intervals as respects angular divergence.
That which alternates with something else; vicissitude.
* Matthew Prior
(US) A substitute; an alternative; one designated to take the place of another, if necessary, in performing some duty.
(mathematics) A proportion derived from another proportion by interchanging the means.
(US) A replacement of equal or greater value or function.
(heraldry) Figures or tinctures that succeed each other by turns.
To perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly.
* Grew
To happen, succeed, or act by turns; to follow reciprocally in place or time; followed by with .
To vary by turns.
As adjectives the difference between elective and alternate
is that elective is of, or pertaining to voting or elections while alternate is being or succeeding by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; by turns first one and then the other; hence, reciprocal.As nouns the difference between elective and alternate
is that elective is something that is option or that may be elected, especially a course of tertiary study while alternate is that which alternates with something else; vicissitude.As a verb alternate is
to perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly.elective
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- My insurance wouldn't pay for the operation because it was elective surgery.
- The independent use of their elective franchise.
- Kings of Rome were at first elective
Noun
(en noun)alternate
English
(Webster 1913)Adjective
(-)- And bid alternate passions fall and rise . -
- the alternate members 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.
- Hyperlinked text is displayed in alternate color in a Web browser.
- (Gray)
Noun
(en noun)- Grateful alternates of substantial.
Verb
(alternat)- The most high God, in all things appertaining unto this life, for sundry wise ends alternates the disposition of good and evil.
- The flood and ebb tides alternate with each other.
- ''The land alternates between rocky hills and sandy plains.