al·ter·nant
ˈȯltə(r)nənt also ˈal-;
chiefly British ȯlˈtə̄n- also alˈt-
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plural -s
1
mathematics
: a determinant the constituents of whose different rows are (in order) the same set of functions of different variables, the same variable appearing in each row and the same function in each column, the terms row and column here being interchangeable
2
: one of the statements in logic composing an alternation
3
: any of the nonsignificant variants (as an allomorph or allophone) that together constitute a significant linguistic category
Dictionary Entries Near alternant
Cite this Entry
“Alternant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alternant. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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