Word family noun variable variance variant variety variability variation adjective variable ≠ invariable varied various verb vary adverb variably ≠ invariably variously
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishvariancevar‧i‧ance /ˈveəriəns $ ˈver-/ AWL noun 1 → be at variance (with somebody/something)2 [countable, uncountable] formalDIFFERENT the amount by which two or more things are different or by which they change → differential a price variance of 5%3 [countable] American English law the official permission to do something different from what is normally allowed The developer requested a variance to build a shopping center on the east side of town.Examples from the Corpus
variance• The church requested a variance to expand its parking lot.• There was, moreover, a vehemence of utterance and gesture curiously at variance with the reticence of our Virginians.• This was at variance with the Eurocheque system as exempted by the Commission in 1984.• A little variance in forecast numbers may be anticipated as a consequence.• Survey data indicate no variance in church attendance between blue- and white-collar workers.• Tobacco consumption was the most important factor to explain the variance.• The variance explained by these two simulations is 60.8% and 60.6%, respectively.From Longman Business Dictionaryvariancevar‧i‧ance /ˈveəriənsˈver-/ noun1[uncountable] the amount by which two or more things are differentThere’s a wide variance in the two sets of data.2[countable, uncountable]ACCOUNTING the difference between what something actually costs and its usual or standard cost, or its cost when calculated earlierA significant variance is one amounting to more than 10% of the allocated budget.3[countable] American EnglishLAW an arrangement in which a court of law allows a company to do something that would not normally be allowedSYNexemption BrEThe authoritygranted a variance so the company could install the satellite dish.4[countable] American English an arrangement in which a local government authority allows someone to do something to their property that would not normally be allowed 