PERMUTATION

[noun] [C usually plural] [formal] - any of the various ways in which a set of things can be orderedThere are 120 permutations of the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5: for example, 1, 3, 2, 4, 5 or 5, 1, 4, 2, 3.He made six separate applications for a total of 39 000 shares, using permutations of his surname and Christian names.(figurative) The company has had five different names in its various permutations (= different forms) over the last few years.