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 Englishvariablevar‧i‧a‧ble1 /ˈveəriəbəl $ ˈver-/ ●●○ AWL adjective 1 CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENTlikely to change often → vary Expect variable cloudiness and fog tomorrow. Interest rates can be highly variable.variable in size/shape/colour etc These fish are highly variable in color and pattern.2 BADsometimes good and sometimes bad The quality of pork is often less variable than beef.3 CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENTable to be changed The heater has variable temperature settings. —variably adverb —variability /ˌveəriəˈbɪləti $ ˌver-/ noun [uncountable]Examples from the Corpus
variable• Demand for the company's products is variable.• Medical insurance coverage in foreign countries is highly variable.• The weather here is likely to be very variable.• This process of elaborating a concept and moving toward empirical indicators is the crucial step in variable analysis.• The return will be variable, as building societies change the rates paid to investors.• Brain maps are just as variable as faces.• Hedgehog cacti are variable in form, but many are barrel shaped or globular.• We now have two documents: a template of the shell text and a variable list.• The drill has variable speeds.• Information regarding variable ventilation efficacy and levels of formaldehyde and micro-organism concentrations were sought.variable in size/shape/colour etc• Small-clawed Otter Eighteen species of otter are known, all of similar shape, but variable in size.• Glaucous extremely variable in size, from Herring to Great Black-back.• A medium-sized eagle exceptionally variable in colour from very dark brown, almost black, to pale brown, nearly white.• The commonest and most widespread of the larger gulls, very variable in size; males average larger than females.• Generally the commonest small wader of the shore, very variable in size, northern breeding birds larger than southern ones.variablevariable2 ●○○ AWL noun [countable] 1 CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENTsomething that may be different in different situations, so that you cannot be sure what will happen OPP constant There are too many variables in the experiment to predict the result accurately.2 technicalHM a mathematical quantity which can represent several different amounts OPP constantExamples from the Corpus
variable• This was used to infer values of the Census variables for households which never returned a form.• The models may be extended to include observable explanatory variables and simultaneity can be allowed for as in econometric models.• This time, extraneous variables that might affect worker productivity would be tightly controlled.• The key variable is the Labrador Current.• There are too many variables to predict who will win the war.• The formula attains a high mark when a diversity of variables is woven into a unified design.• One variable or factor is altered at a time while all others remain constant.• These variables are only known locally to the defining procedure or function.From Longman Business Dictionaryvariablevar‧i‧a‧ble1 /ˈveəriəbəlˈver-/ noun [countable] something that affects a situation in a way that means you cannot be sure what will happenInterest rates and earnings are the two most important variables in forecasting stock prices.The Japanese are subject to the sameeconomic variables as everybody else.variablevariable2 adjectiveACCOUNTINGFINANCE variable costs, prices, interest rates etc change or can change and are not fixedThe value of fixed- andvariable-rate loans fell half a per cent.The new company will offer more attractivevariable annuities. 