1. (

• alternatively ,
• instead ,
• or_else ,

) in place of, or as an alternative to; "Felix became a herpetologist instead"; "alternatively we could buy a used car" ;

2. (

• rather ,
• instead ,

) on the contrary; "rather than disappoint the children, he did two quick tricks before he left"; "he didn't call; rather (or instead), he wrote her a letter"; "used English terms instead of Latin ones" ;