alternately vs either

alternately

adv
  • Alternatively. 

  • In reciprocal succession; succeeding by turns; in alternate order. 

  • By alternation; when, in a proportion, the antecedent term is compared with antecedent, and consequent. 

either

adv
  • As well. 

conj
  • Introduces the first of two (or occasionally more) options or possibilities, the second (or last) of which is introduced by “or”. 

det
  • Any one (of two). 

  • Each of two; both. 

pron
  • One or the other of two people or things. 

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