What does combination mean?
Combination refers to the act or result of joining two or more elements together so that they form a unified whole or a distinct entity. It is one of the most versatile nouns in English, appearing everywhere from cookery ('a combination of spices') and business ('a powerful combination of skills') to science and medicine ('used in combination with antibiotics'). In mathematics it takes on a precise technical sense: a combination is a selection of items from a group in which the order of selection does not matter, distinguishing it from a permutation. A third everyday sense covers sequences used to open locks. The word carries no strong connotations of its own; its tone is set by context, describing pairings as harmonious, effective, dangerous, or merely incidental. Derived ultimately from the Latin verb 'combinare', meaning to join two by two, it remains an indispensable tool for describing how separate parts come together to create something new.
A joining or merging of two or more things to produce a single whole or a distinct entity.
"Their partnership proved to be a formidable combination."
Often used with 'of' to specify the elements involved: 'a combination of factors'.
In mathematics, a selection of items from a larger set in which the order of selection is irrelevant.
"The number of combinations of five cards drawn from a deck is calculated using factorials."
Contrast with 'permutation', where order does matter.
A sequence of characters, usually numbers or letters, used to open a combination lock.
"She changed the combination on her bicycle lock after losing the key."
Commonly shortened to 'combo' in informal American usage.
Standard plural; used when referring to multiple distinct joins or selections, especially in mathematical contexts.
"There are only ten possible combinations for this puzzle."
The word comes from Latin 'combinare' — literally 'to join two by two' — which is why 'combination' and 'binary' share the same ancient root.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of combination
Combination derives from the Latin verb 'combinare', formed from the prefix 'com-' ('together') and 'bini' ('two by two'), the same root that gives us 'binary' and 'binomial'. The word entered English in the late Middle French period and was well established by the early modern era, initially carrying senses of union or alliance before acquiring its mathematical meaning in the seventeenth century alongside the development of probability theory.
Related word forms
How combination is actually used
Neutral register, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. In mathematics, 'combination' has a precise technical meaning (selection without regard to order), contrasting with 'permutation'. The phrase 'in combination with' is especially common in medical and scientific writing.
Easily confused with combination
A coalition is specifically an alliance between separate groups or parties formed for joint action, whereas a combination is any general merging of elements.
In mathematics, order matters in a permutation but not in a combination.