a term used by some philosophers for what is more usually called diversity. See DIVERSITY.

ALTERN-BASE, in trigonometry, a term used in contradistinction to the true base. Thus in oblique triangles, the true base is either the sum of the sides, and then the difference of the sides is called the altern-base; or the true base is the difference of the sides, and then the sum of the sides is called the altern-base.