Variable

The repetition of a musical theme with modification in rhythm, tune, harmony, or key . . . .

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Variation n [14c] 1a: the act or process of varing: the state or fact of being varied b: an instance of varying c: the extent to which or the range in which a thing varies 2: Declination6 3a: a change of algebraic sign between successive terms of a sequence b: a measure of the change in data, a variable, or a function 4: the repetition of a musical theme with modification in rhythm, tune, harmony, or key 5a: divergence in the characteristics of an organism from the species or population norm or average b: something [as an individual or group] that exhibits variation 6a: a solo dance in classic ballet b: a repetition in modern ballet of a movement sequence with changes

Variable adj [ME, fr. MF, fr. L variabilis, fr. variare to vary] [14c] 1a: able or apt to vary; subject to variation or changes [ _ winds] [_ costs] b: Fickle, Inconstant 2: characterized by variations 3: having the characteristics of a variable 4: not true to type: Aberrant -used of a biological group or character -Variability n -Variableness n -Variably adv

2 Variable n [1816] 1a: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values b: a symbol representing a variable 2: something that is variable 3: Variablestar

Variance n [14c] 1: the fact, quality, or state of being variable or variant: Difference, Variation [yearly _ in crops] 2: the fact or state of being in disagreement: Dissension, Dispute 3: a disagreement between two parts of the same legal proceeding that must be consonant 4: a license to do some act contrary to the usual rule [a zoning _ ] 5: the square of the standard deviation -syn see Discord -At variance: not in harmony or a greement

1 Variant adj [14c] 1 obs: Variable 2: manifesting variety, deviation , or disagreement 3: varying usu. slightly from the standard form [ _ readings]

2 Variant n [1848]: one of two or more persons or things exhibiting usu. slight differences: as a: one that exhibits variation from a type or norm b: one of two or more different spellings [as labor and labour] or pronunciations [as of economics \ek-, ék -\] of the same word c: one of two or more words [as geographic and geographical] or word elements [as mon- and mono-] of eseentially the same meaning differing only in the presence or absence of an affix