/ ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv; NAmE -ˈtɜːrn-/ noun , adjective
■ noun
a thing that you can choose to do or have out of two or more possibilities :
You can be paid in cash weekly or by cheque monthly; those are the two alternatives.
We had no alternative but to fire Gibson.
There is a vegetarian alternative on the menu every day.
➡ note at option
■ adjective [ only before noun ]
1.
(also al·ter·nate especially in NAmE ) that can be used instead of sth else :
an alternative method of doing sth
Do you have an alternative solution?
2.
different from the usual or traditional way in which sth is done :
alternative comedy / lifestyles / values
alternative energy (= electricity or power that is produced using the energy from the sun, wind, water, etc.)
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense alternating, alternate ): from French alternatif , -ive or medieval Latin alternativus , from Latin alternare interchange, from alternus every other, from alter other.