combination

The word “combination” means the act of joining two or more things together, or the result of doing so. In plain terms, two or more things joined or used together — whether ingredients, numbers on a lock, or punches in a fight.

“Combination” is pronounced kom-bih-NAY-shuhn (/ˌkɑmbɪˈneɪʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “combination” used in a sentence: “The dish is a combination of sweet and spicy flavors.”

The opposite of “combination” — its antonyms — are division, separation and permutation.

“Combination” is a noun.

The word “combination” comes from Late Latin. From Old French combination, from Late Latin combinatio, built from combine plus the noun suffix -ation.

“Combination” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Combination” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of joining two or more things together, or the result of doing so.

In mathematics, a combination is a selection of items where order does not matter, while a permutation is an arrangement where order does matter. Choosing three fruits from a bowl is a combination; deciding the order they are lined up is a permutation. In short, combinations group, permutations arrange.

A combination is any joining of two or more things. Examples include mixing blue and yellow paint to make green, a lock opened by a particular set of numbers, a meal deal that pairs a sandwich with a drink, or a team blending different skills. Each brings separate parts together.

The opposite of combination is separation or division — keeping things apart rather than joining them. Where a combination brings elements together into a whole, separation breaks a whole into parts. Related opposites include split, isolation, and detachment, depending on whether you mean the act of joining or the joined result.