permutation
noun
Did you know?
Permutation has not changed all that much since it was borrowed into Middle English from Anglo-French as permutacioun, meaning "exchange, transformation." Permutacioun traces back to the Latin verb permutare, meaning "to change thoroughly, exchange," and ultimately derives from the Latin mutare, "to change." Other descendants of mutare in English include commute, mutant, and mutual. Permutation also has a specific application in the field of mathematics relating to the ordering of a given set of objects. For example, permutations of items a, b, and c are abc, acb, bac, etc.
Examples of permutation in a Sentence
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2024
This expression has undergone several permutations over the last few years.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Michael left the Jacksons at the end of that tour, taking most of the attention with him, but different permutations of the family group continued to perform and record in intervals thereafter.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2024
Years of legal permutations unfolded as a series of courts judged the legal merits of the Hatfield case.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for permutation 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'permutation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near permutation
Cite this Entry
“Permutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permutation. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
permutation
noun
Share