alternative vs proxy

alternative

noun
  • One of several mutually exclusive things which can be chosen. 

  • A situation which allows a mutually exclusive choice between two or more possibilities; a choice between two or more possibilities. 

  • alternative rock 

  • A non-offensive word or phrase that serves as a replacement for a word deemed offensive or unacceptable, though not as a euphemism. 

  • The remaining option; something available after other possibilities have been exhausted. 

adj
  • Relating to a choice between two or more possibilities. 

  • Presenting two or more alternatives. 

  • Other; different from something else. 

  • Not traditional, outside the mainstream, underground. 

proxy

noun
  • An agent or substitute authorized to act for another person. 

  • A proximity mine; a mine that explodes when something approaches within a certain distance. 

  • The authority to act for another, especially when written. 

  • A measurement of one physical quantity that is used as an indicator of the value of another 

  • The written appointment of a proctor in suits in the ecclesiastical courts 

  • An interface for a service, especially for one that is remote, resource-intensive, or otherwise difficult to use directly. 

verb
  • To serve as a proxy for. 

  • To function as a server for a client device, but pass on the requests to another server for service. 

adj
  • Used as a proxy or acting as a proxy. 

How often have the words alternative and proxy occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )