PERMUTATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does permutation mean? 

• PERMUTATION (noun)
  The noun PERMUTATION has 4 senses:

1. an event in which one thing is substituted for another

2. the act of changing the arrangement of a given number of elements

3. complete change in character or condition

4. act of changing the lineal order of objects in a group

  Familiarity information: PERMUTATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PERMUTATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An event in which one thing is substituted for another

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

permutation; replacement; substitution; switch; transposition

Context example:

the replacement of lost blood by a transfusion of donor blood

Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):

fluctuation; variation (an instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of changing the arrangement of a given number of elements

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):

mathematical operation; mathematical process; operation ((mathematics) calculation by mathematical methods)

Derivation:

permute (change the order or arrangement of)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Complete change in character or condition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

the permutations...taking place in the physical world

Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):

transformation; translation (the act of changing in form or shape or appearance)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Act of changing the lineal order of objects in a group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):

reordering (a rearrangement in a different order)

Derivation:

permute (change the order or arrangement of)

 Context examples 

A method for reducing bias in which half of the treatment arrays swap with half of the control arrays in each permutation.

(Balanced Permutation, NCI Thesaurus)