combination Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a collection of things that have been combined; an assemblage of separate parts or qualities
noun a coordinated sequence of chess moves
noun a sequence of numbers or letters that opens a combination lock
- he forgot the combination to the safe
noun a group of people (often temporary) having a common purpose
- they were a winning combination
noun an alliance of people or corporations or countries for a special purpose (formerly to achieve some antisocial end but now for general political or economic purposes)
noun the act of arranging elements into specified groups without regard to order
noun the act of combining things to form a new whole
compounding; combining.

LL. combinatio. See Combine.

The act or process of combining or uniting persons and things.
Making new compounds by new combinations. Boyle.

A solemn combination shall be made Of our dear souls. Shak.
The result of combining or uniting; union of persons or things; esp. a union or alliance of persons or states to effect some purpose; -- usually in a bad sense.
A combination of the most powerful men in Rome who had conspired my ruin. Melmoth.
(Chem.) The act or process of uniting by chemical affinity, by which substances unite with each other in definite proportions by weight to form distinct compounds.
pl. (Math.) The different arrangements of a number of objects, as letters, into groups. ✍ In combinations no regard is paid to the order in which the objects are arranged in each group, while in variations and permutations this order is respected. Brande & C. Syn. -- Cabal; alliance; association; league; union; confederacy; coalition; conspiracy. See Cabal.