An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

1) Happening or following in turns; succeeding each other continuously.
2a) (v.intr.) To occur in a successive manner (day alternates with night); To change back and forth from one state, action, or place to another.
2b) Electricity: To reverse direction at regular intervals in a → circuit.
3) (v.tr.) To do or execute in succession or one after another (to alternate work and rest).

From L. alternus "one after the other," p.p. of alternare "to do first one thing, then the other," from alternus "every other," from alter "the other".

1) Peyvâr from pey "step; after" (as in peyâpey "successively, repeatedly") + Pers. vâr "turn (succession), time (repetition), alternation". Compare with Skt. vâra "one's turn, appointed time, alteration, succession".
2, 3) Peyvâr šodan, peyvâr kardan, peyvâridan, verbs from peyvâr "alternate," as above.