combinations
|com-bi-na-tions|
🇺🇸
/ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃənz/
🇬🇧
/ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃənz/
(combination)
joining together
Etymology
'combination' originates from French, specifically the word 'combinaison', ultimately from Late Latin 'combinatio', where 'com-' meant 'together' and the root related to 'bin-' meant 'to join or unite'.
'combination' came into English via Old French 'combinaison' and Medieval Latin 'combinatio', and it eventually became the modern English word 'combination' in Middle English.
Initially, it meant 'a joining together' or 'the act of combining'; over time the meaning broadened to include 'mixtures', 'codes or sequences', mathematical 'selections', and figurative uses like coordinated 'plays' or 'tactics'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
two or more things joined or mixed together; arrangements or mixtures of elements.
The chef experimented with different spice combinations for the new dish.
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Noun 2
a particular order or sequence used to open a lock or secure object (a numeric or symbolic code).
Make sure you remember your safe's combinations and store them safely.
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Noun 3
in mathematics, selections of items from a set where order does not matter (plural of 'combination' as a technical term).
There are many combinations of three letters you can make from the set {A, B, C, D}.
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Noun 4
coordinated moves or plays (often in sports or music) that work together as a tactic or pattern.
The team's passing combinations in the final third created several scoring chances.
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Last updated: 2025/12/11 14:35