An alternade is a word in which its letters, taken alternatively in a strict sequence, and used in the same order as the original word, make up at least two other words. All letters must be used, but the smaller words are not necessarily of the same length. For example, a word with seven letters where every second letter is used will produce a four-letter word and a three-letter word. The term binade is also used. The alternade was introduced by L'Allegro in the May 1917 Eastern Enigma, published in June 1917. At least 4,800 alternades are known to exist.