alternative vs irregular

alternative

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

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

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

  • alternative rock 

  • 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. 

irregular

noun
  • A soldier who is not a member of an official military force and who may not use regular army tactics. 

  • One who does not regularly attend a venue. 

adj
  • without symmetry, regularity, or uniformity 

  • rough 

  • not regular; having sides that are not equal or angles that are not equal 

  • whose faces are not all regular polygons (or are not equally inclined to each other) 

  • nonstandard; not conforming to rules or expectations 

  • not following the regular or expected patterns of inflection in a given language 

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