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
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
Sales of Eternal Sunshine were bolstered by its availability in a variety of permutations released for the Brighter Days Ahead launch.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 6 Apr. 2025
Over a dozen years and through many permutations, these negotiations with Tehran led to the deeply flawed 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
—John R. Bolton, The Atlantic, 9 July 2025
Of all the permutations put into play by the Heat to potentially land Durant, Ware was not one of them.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for permutation
Cite this Entry
“Permutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permutation. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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permutation
noun
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