[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

alternative \alter"native\, a. cf. f. alternatif.
   1. offering a choice of two things.
      1913 webster

   2. disjunctive; as, an alternative conjunction.
      1913 webster

   3. alternate; reciprocal. obs. --holland.
      1913 webster

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

alternative \alter"native\, n. cf. f. alternative, ll.
   alternativa.
   1. an offer of two things, one of which may be chosen, but
      not both; a choice between two things, so that if one is
      taken, the other must be left.
      1913 webster

            there is something else than the mere alternative of
            absolute destruction or unreformed existence.
                                                  --burke.
      1913 webster

   2. either of two things or propositions offered to one's
      choice. thus when two things offer a choice of one only,
      the two things are called alternatives.
      1913 webster

            having to choose between two alternatives, safety
            and war, you obstinately prefer the worse. --jowett
                                                  thucyd..
      1913 webster

   3. the course of action or the thing offered in place of
      another.
      1913 webster

            if this demand is refused the alternative is war.
                                                  --lewis.
      1913 webster

            with no alternative but death.        --longfellow.
      1913 webster

   4. a choice between more than two things; one of several
      things offered to choose among.
      1913 webster

            my decided preference is for the fourth and last of
            these alternatives.                   --gladstone.
      1913 webster
see also:
alternatives 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

alternative
     adj 1: allowing a choice; "an alternative plan" syn: alternate
     2: necessitating a choice between mutually exclusive
        possibilities; "`either' and `or' in `either this or
        that'" syn: mutually exclusive
     3: pertaining to unconventional choices; "an alternative life
        style"
     n : one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen;
         "what option did i have?"; "there no other alternative";
         "my only choice is to refuse" syn: option, choice
see also:
alternate mutually exclusive option choice 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

102 moby thesaurus words for "alternative":
   additional, agent, alternate, alternate choice, analogy, another,
   attainable, backup, change, changeling, choice, comparison,
   contingency, copy, counterfeit, deputy, different, discretion,
   discretional, disjunctive, double, druthers, dummy, election,
   elective, equal, equivalent, ersatz, escape clause, escape hatch,
   exchange, exchangeable, fake, fill-in, ghost, ghostwriter,
   imitation, interchangeable, locum tenens, loophole, makeshift,
   metaphor, metonymy, mock, next best thing, option, optional,
   optionality, personnel, phony, pinch, pinch hitter, pleasure,
   possibility, possible choice, preference, pretext, provisional,
   proxy, relief, replacement, replacing, representative, reserve,
   reserves, ringer, saving clause, second string, secondary,
   selection, sign, spare, spares, stand-in, stopgap, sub,
   substituent, substitute, substitution, succedaneum, superseder,
   supplanter, surrogate, symbol, synecdoche, temporary, tentative,
   third string, token, understudy, utility, utility player, variant,
   vicar, vicarious, vice-president, vice-regent, volitional,
   voluntary, way of escape, way out, will and pleasure

[5] : Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

alternative. the one or the other of two things. in contracts a party has
frequently the choice to perform one of several things, as, if he is bound
to pay one hundred dollars, or to deliver a horse, he has the alternative.
vide election; obligation; alternative.

Alternative >> A Words
Alternative, definition of term: Alternative
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Alternative Med >> A Words
Alternative Med, definition of term: Alternative Med
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