happening or following one after the other regularly

if something happens on alternate days, nights, etc. it happens on one day, etc. but not on the next

John has to work on alternate Sundays.

The ferry service will initially run on alternate days, increasing eventually to daily sailings.

that can be used instead of something else

to make things or people follow one after the other in a repeated pattern

to follow one after the other in a repeated pattern

Dark stripes alternate with pale ones.

to keep changing from one thing to another and back again

Her mood alternated between happiness and despair.

They believed that the earth’s climate alternated between periods of extreme cold and warm.

a person who does a job for somebody who is away

LEARNit Dictionary