variable

Borrowed into Middle English in the 14th century from Old French variable, from Latin variare (“to change”), from varius (“different, various”). Equates to English vary +‎ -able.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈvɛə.ɹi.ə.bl̩/
• (US, Mary–marry–merry distinction) IPA^(key): /ˈvæɹ.i.ə.bl̩/
• (US, Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /ˈvɛɹ.i.ə.bl̩/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

variable (comparative more variable, superlative most variable)

1. Able to vary or be varied.

   Synonyms: alterable, flexible, changeable, mutable; see also Thesaurus:mutable

   Antonyms: constant, invariable, immutable, unalterable, unchangeable; see also Thesaurus:immutable

   variable winds or seasons; a variable quantity; a variable resistor

2. Likely to vary.

   Synonyms: fickle, fluctuating, inconstant, shifting, unstable, unsteady; see also Thesaurus:unsteady, Thesaurus:changeable

   Antonyms: constant, invariable, immutable, unchangeable; see also Thesaurus:steady, Thesaurus:changeless

   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

3. Marked by diversity or difference.

   Synonyms: varying; see also Thesaurus:heterogeneous

   Antonyms: unchanging; see also Thesaurus:homogeneous

4. (mathematics) Having no fixed quantitative value.

   Antonyms: constant, invariable

5. (biology) Tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type.

   Synonym: aberrant

variable (plural variables)

1. Something that is variable.

   Synonym: changeable

   Antonyms: constant, invariable

2. Something whose value may be dictated or discovered.

   Synonym: parameter

   There are several variables to consider here.

   • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:

     Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.

3. (mathematics) A quantity that may assume any one of a set of values.

   Synonyms: variable quantity; see also Thesaurus:variable

4. (mathematics) A symbol representing a variable.
5. (programming) A named memory location in which a program can store intermediate results and from which it can read them.
6. (astronomy) A variable star.
7. (nautical) A shifting wind, or one that varies in force.
8. (nautical, in the plural) Those parts of the sea where a steady wind is not expected, especially the parts between the trade-wind belts.

• See also Thesaurus:variable

• argument
• variate

• “variable”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “variable”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “variable”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

From Latin variābilis.

variable (epicene, plural variables)

1. variable (able to vary)
2. variable (likely to vary)

variable f (plural variables)

1. (mathematics) variable (a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values)

Borrowed from Latin variābilis.

• IPA^(key): (Central) [bə.ɾiˈab.blə]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [və.ɾiˈab.blə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencian) [va.ɾiˈa.ble]

variable m or f (masculine and feminine plural variables)

1. variable (able to vary)

   Antonym: invariable

2. variable (likely to vary)

   Antonym: invariable

3. (mathematics) variable (having no fixed quantitative value)

variable f (plural variables)

1. variable (something that is variable)
2. (mathematics) variable (a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values)

• “variable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “variable”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “variable” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “variable” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

variable

1. plural and definite singular attributive of variabel

variable

1. indefinite plural of variabel

Borrowed from Latin variābilis.

• IPA^(key): /va.ʁjabl/

• Audio

  (file)

variable (plural variables)

1. variable

   Antonym: invariable

variable f (plural variables)

1. (mathematics) variable (quantity that may assume any one of a set of values)

   Antonym: constante

• “variable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• aabeilrv, balivera

• variábel

From Latin variābilis.

variable m or f (plural variables)

1. variable, changeable

   Antonym: invariable

variable f (plural variables)

1. variable

variable

1. definite singular of variabel
2. plural of variabel

variable

1. definite singular of variabel
2. plural of variabel

From Latin variābilis.

• IPA^(key): /baˈɾjable/ [baˈɾja.β̞le]
• Rhymes: -able
• Syllabification: va‧ria‧ble

variable m or f (masculine and feminine plural variables)

1. variable

variable f (plural variables)

1. variable

• “variable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

variable

1. definite natural masculine singular of variabel

• variabel