Word
permutation
Phoneticsper·mu·ta·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌpɝmjuˈteɪʃən/
UK/pˌɜːmjuːtˈeɪʃən/
Countable noun
Definition
n. one different way to order or arrange a set of things. If you change the order of three books, you make a new permutation.
n. one of the possible orderings of a finite set of distinct elements, where changing the sequence creates a different case. Contrasted with combination, where order does not matter.
Examples
“The lock has six possible permutations of numbers.”
“The coach tries different permutations of players to find the strongest starting lineup.”
“Mathematicians calculate the permutations of six books on a shelf to show how quickly possible orders grow even with small sets.”
Examples
simple
“The lock has six possible permutations of numbers.”
contextual
“The coach tries different permutations of players to find the strongest starting lineup.”
complex
“Mathematicians calculate the permutations of six books on a shelf to show how quickly possible orders grow even with small sets.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “permutation” in context.
Verb
01. calculate permutation
“Use the formula to calculate each permutation systematically.”
verb + noun
02. explore permutation
“Designers explored permutations to find the best layout.”
verb + noun
03. generate permutation
“The program can generate a new permutation in seconds.”
verb + noun
04. list permutation
“List all permutations of the letters A, B and C.”
verb + noun
05. permutation exists
“Only one valid permutation exists for this puzzle.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. different permutation
“Try a different permutation of the words to improve the title.”
adj + noun
07. distinct permutation
“Mathematicians calculated all distinct permutations of the four letters.”
adj + noun
08. particular permutation
“They focused on one particular permutation of the data set.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. number of permutations
“The number of permutations grows rapidly with more items.”
noun + prep + noun
10. calculate the number of permutations
“We used factorials to calculate the number of permutations for six books.”
11. explore different permutations of
“Architects explored different permutations of the floor plan.”
12. generate a random permutation
“The website can generate a random permutation to select winners fairly.”
Usage
Often followed by 'of' to name the set being arranged.
Real-World Examples
“This was the first of a potential 21 ODIs in preparation for the World Cup, the tri-series format designed to replicate the pressure and permutations of tournament cricket.” “With the show, the six creators were able to break off and write individual episodes in various permutations of their troupe.” Etymology
From Middle English permutacioun, permutacyoun, from Old French permutacïon, promutatïon and Medieval Latin permūtātiōnem, accusative of permūtātiō. Morphologically permute + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/permutation