# combination

Pronunciation: say "kom-bi-NAY-shuhn" US /kɑmbɪˈneɪʃən/, UK /kɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/

## Noun

1. Two or more things joined or mixed together, or the act of joining them.
   - Simple: Two or more things put together, or the act of putting them together.
   - _The recipe's success comes from an unusual combination of spices._
   - _Modern skylines are often a combination of steel, glass, and concrete._
2. The series of numbers or letters that opens a combination lock.
   - Simple: The set of numbers or letters you type or dial to open a lock.
   - _Only the manager knew the combination to the safe._
   - _The thieves tried thousands of combinations before the vault opened._
3. A selection of elements from a set, where the order of selection does not matter.
   - Simple: A group of items chosen from a set when the order does not matter.
   - _Choosing three pizza toppings from a list of ten gives 120 possible combinations._
   - _The lottery asks each player to choose a single combination of six numbers._
4. A group or alliance of people who have joined together for a shared purpose.
   - Simple: A group of people who join together to work toward a shared goal.
   - _The merchants created a combination to fix prices across the region._
   - _Nineteenth-century mill owners formed a powerful combination to keep wages low across the valley._
5. In boxing and other combat sports, a quick series of punches or strikes thrown in succession.
   - Simple: A quick series of punches or other strikes made one right after another in boxing or other combat sports.
   - _He stunned his opponent with a crisp combination in the third round._
   - _The fighter slipped the jab and answered with a sharp combination._
6. In chess, a series of forcing or nearly forcing moves, often starting with a sacrifice, that wins an advantage.
   - Simple: A series of chess moves that leaves the opponent few replies and gains an advantage, often starting by giving up a piece.
   - _The grandmaster uncorked a brilliant combination, sacrificing a rook to force mate._
   - _A well-calculated combination can turn a losing position into a win._
7. A shot in which the cue ball strikes one ball, which in turn strikes another ball on the table.
   - Simple: A shot in pool where the cue ball hits one ball, and that ball hits another.
   - _He called the combination, tapping the five into the nine for the win._
   - _A long combination across the table is hard to control._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A motorcycle together with an attached sidecar, treated as a single vehicle.

## Origin

This word entered Middle English as "combinacioun" via Old French "combination", from Late Latin "combīnātiō". It is formed from "combine" plus the suffix "-ation".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/combination (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).