A combination is a mix of two or more things that are put together to form something new. It can describe both the act of joining and the result of that joining.
From Late Latin *combinatio*, from Latin *combinare* meaning “to unite, join two by two,” formed from *com-* “together” + *bini* “two by two.” Over time it came to mean any joining of multiple parts, not just pairs.
In math, a “combination” is different from a “permutation” because order doesn’t matter—ABC is the same as CAB. That idea of “order not mattering” is hidden inside how we use the word in everyday life when we just care about what’s included, not the sequence.
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