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Alternate vs Inverse - What's the difference?

alternate | inverse |

As adjectives the difference between alternate and inverse

is that 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 while inverse is inverted.

As verbs the difference between alternate and inverse

is that alternate is to perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly while inverse is .

As a noun alternate

is that which alternates with something else; vicissitude.

alternate

English

(Webster 1913)

Adjective

(-)
  • 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.
  • And bid alternate passions fall and rise . -
  • (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.
  • the alternate members 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.
  • (US) Other; alternative.
  • Hyperlinked text is displayed in alternate color in a Web browser.
  • (botany) Distributed, as leaves, singly at different heights of the stem, and at equal intervals as respects angular divergence.
  • (Gray)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which alternates with something else; vicissitude.
  • * Matthew Prior
  • Grateful alternates of substantial.
  • (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.
  • Verb

    (alternat)
  • To perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly.
  • * Grew
  • The most high God, in all things appertaining unto this life, for sundry wise ends alternates the disposition of good and evil.
  • To happen, succeed, or act by turns; to follow reciprocally in place or time; followed by with .
  • The flood and ebb tides alternate with each other.
  • To vary by turns.
  • ''The land alternates between rocky hills and sandy plains.

    Derived terms

    * alternate allegation * alternate angles * alternate generation * alternately * alternation

    See also

    * alternative * variant

    inverse

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Opposite in effect or nature or order
  • reverse, opposite in order
  • (botany) Inverted; having a position or mode of attachment the reverse of that which is usual.
  • (mathematics) Having the properties of an inverse; said with reference to any two operations, which, when both are performed in succession upon any quantity, reproduce that quantity.
  • Multiplication is the inverse operation to division.
  • (linguistics, Kiowa-Tanoan) A grammatical number marking that indicates the opposite grammatical number (or numbers) of the default number specification of noun class.
  • (category theory) A morphism which is both a left inverse and a right inverse.
  • Derived terms

    * inverse function * inversely

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The opposite of a given, due to contrary nature or effect.
  • :: ''Deposing is the inverse of installing, and vice versa
  • The reverse version of a procedure.
  • Removing one's shoes is the inverse of putting one's shoes on
  • (mathematics) The inverse of an element x'' with respect to a binary operation is an element that when combined with ''x yields the appropriate identity element.
  • The additive inverse of x is -x as, x + -x = 0 where 0 is the additive identity element.
    The multiplicative inverse of x is x-1 as, x * x-1 = 1 where 1 is the multiplicative identity element.
    ''The compositional inverse of a function f is f–1 as, f f–1 is the identity function (ie f–1(f(a)) = a for all a).
  • (logic) A statement constructed from the negatives of the premise and conclusion of some other statement: ~p ? ~q is the inverse of p ? q.
  • Verb

    (invers)
  • (surveying) To compute the bearing and distance between two points.
  • Antonyms

    * compute (a point).

    Anagrams

    * ----