per·mu·ta·tion

ˌpərmyo͝oˈtāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: permutation; plural noun: permutations

1. a way, especially one of several possible variations, in which a set or number of things can be ordered or arranged.

   "his thoughts raced ahead to fifty different permutations of what he must do"

   synonyms:

   arrangement, combination, order, configuration, disposition, organization, sorting, grouping, variation, selection "all the possible permutations were explored"

   • MATHEMATICS

     the action of changing the arrangement, especially the linear order, of a set of items.

Origin

late Middle English (in the sense ‘exchange, barter’): via Old French from Latin permutatio(n-), from the verb permutare ‘change completely’ (see permute).