adj · noun · 20 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:[ˈvɛə.ɹi.ə.bl̩]
US:[ˈvæɹ.i.ə.bl̩]without the Mary–marry–merry merger
[ˈvɛɹ.i.ə.bl̩]US, Canada, Mary–marry–merry merger
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Texas:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:[ˈveː.ɹi.ə.bl̩]
CMU ARPABET:V EH1 R IY0 AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Able to vary or be varied.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
variable winds or seasons; a variable quantity; a variable resistor
something that is likely to vary; something that is subject to variation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the weather is one variable to be considered
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: thing
20
noun
Meaning 20
a star that varies noticeably in brightness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: variable star
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: star
Narrower terms: Polaris, North Star, pole star, polar star, polestar
History
Etymology
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.
Across languages
Translations
303 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Asturian:
variable
— able to vary
Azerbaijani:
dəyişkən
— able to vary
Bulgarian:
променлив
(promenliv)
— able to vary
Bulgarian:
изменчив
(izmenčiv)
— able to vary
Catalan:
variable
— able to vary
Czech:
proměnlivý
— able to vary
Czech:
variabilní
— able to vary
Czech:
proměnný
— able to vary
Dutch:
veranderlijk
— able to vary
Dutch:
variabel
— able to vary
Dutch:
regelbaar
— able to vary
Finnish:
vaihteleva
— able to vary
Finnish:
muuttuva
— able to vary
French:
variable
— able to vary
Galician:
variable
— able to vary
Galician:
variábel
— able to vary
Georgian:
ცვალებადი
(cvalebadi)
— able to vary
German:
variabel
— able to vary
Greek:
ευμετάβλητος
(evmetávlitos)
— able to vary
Greek:
άστατος
(ástatos)
— able to vary
Greek:
ευμετάβολος
(evmetávolos)
— able to vary
Hungarian:
változó
— able to vary
Italian:
variabile
— able to vary
Italian:
regolabile
— able to vary
Italian:
flessiblie
— able to vary
Italian:
modificabile
— able to vary
Japanese:
可変
(kahen)
— able to vary
Japanese:
変えられる
(kaerareru)
— able to vary
Malay:
boleh ubah
— able to vary
Māori:
taurangi
— able to vary
Māori:
tāupe
— able to vary
Norwegian:
variabel
— able to vary
Persian:
متغیر
(moteġayyer)
— able to vary
Polish:
zmienny
— able to vary
Portuguese:
variável
— able to vary
Romanian:
variabil
— able to vary
Russian:
переме́нный
(pereménnyj)
— able to vary
Russian:
изме́нчивый
(izménčivyj)
— able to vary
Russian:
непостоя́нный
(nepostojánnyj)
— able to vary
Spanish:
variable
— able to vary
Swedish:
flexibel
— able to vary
Swedish:
föränderlig
— able to vary
Swedish:
reglerbar
— able to vary
Swedish:
rörlig
— able to vary
Swedish:
ställbar
— able to vary
Swedish:
variabel
— able to vary
Telugu:
మారగల
(māragala)
— able to vary
Telugu:
మారే
(mārē)
— able to vary
Turkish:
değişken
— able to vary
Ukrainian:
змі́нний
(zmínnyj)
— able to vary
Ukrainian:
мінли́вий
(minlývyj)
— able to vary
Ukrainian:
змі́нна
(zmínna)
— able to vary
Ukrainian:
мінли́ва
(minlýva)
— able to vary
Asturian:
variable
— likely to vary
Bulgarian:
променлив
(promenliv)
— likely to vary
Catalan:
variable
— likely to vary
Dutch:
veranderlijk
— likely to vary
Dutch:
variabel
— likely to vary
Dutch:
schommelend
— likely to vary
Dutch:
wisselend
— likely to vary
Dutch:
onbestendig
— likely to vary
Esperanto:
varia
— likely to vary
Finnish:
vaihteleva
— likely to vary
Finnish:
muuttuva
— likely to vary
Galician:
variable
— likely to vary
Galician:
variábel
— likely to vary
Georgian:
ცვალებადი
(cvalebadi)
— likely to vary
German:
variabel
— likely to vary
Hungarian:
változékony
— likely to vary
Italian:
variabile
— likely to vary
Japanese:
変わりうる
(kawariuru)
— likely to vary
Japanese:
変わりやすい
(kawariyasui)
— likely to vary
Latin:
variabilis
— likely to vary
Macedonian:
променлив
(promenliv)
— likely to vary
Māori:
taurangi
— likely to vary
Māori:
tāupe
— likely to vary
Norwegian:
variabel
— likely to vary
Polish:
zmienny
— likely to vary
Portuguese:
variável
— likely to vary
Romanian:
variabil
— likely to vary
Russian:
переме́нный
(pereménnyj)
— likely to vary
Russian:
изме́нчивый
(izménčivyj)
— likely to vary
Russian:
непостоя́нный
(nepostojánnyj)
— likely to vary
Spanish:
variable
— likely to vary
Swedish:
ombytlig
— likely to vary
Swedish:
ostadig
— likely to vary
Swedish:
växlande
— likely to vary
Telugu:
అస్థిర
(asthira)
— likely to vary
Ukrainian:
змі́нний
(zmínnyj)
— likely to vary
Ukrainian:
мінли́вий
(minlývyj)
— likely to vary
Ukrainian:
змі́нна
(zmínna)
— likely to vary
Ukrainian:
мінли́ва
(minlýva)
— likely to vary
Bulgarian:
различаващ се
(različavašt se)
— marked by diversity or difference
Dutch:
veranderlijk
— marked by diversity or difference
Dutch:
variabel
— marked by diversity or difference
Dutch:
schommelend
— marked by diversity or difference
Dutch:
wisselend
— marked by diversity or difference
Dutch:
onbestendig
— marked by diversity or difference
Finnish:
vaihteleva
— marked by diversity or difference
French:
variable
— marked by diversity or difference
Georgian:
ცვალებადი
(cvalebadi)
— marked by diversity or difference
Greek:
μεταβλητός
(metavlitós)
— marked by diversity or difference
Italian:
variabile
— marked by diversity or difference
Norwegian:
varierende
— marked by diversity or difference
Polish:
zmienny
— marked by diversity or difference
Portuguese:
variável
— marked by diversity or difference
Romanian:
variabil
— marked by diversity or difference
Russian:
переме́нный
(pereménnyj)
— marked by diversity or difference
Russian:
изме́нчивый
(izménčivyj)
— marked by diversity or difference
Russian:
непостоя́нный
(nepostojánnyj)
— marked by diversity or difference
Swedish:
varierande
— marked by diversity or difference
Swedish:
omväxlande
— marked by diversity or difference
Ukrainian:
змі́нний
(zmínnyj)
— marked by diversity or difference
Ukrainian:
мінли́вий
(minlývyj)
— marked by diversity or difference
Ukrainian:
змі́нна
(zmínna)
— marked by diversity or difference
Ukrainian:
мінли́ва
(minlýva)
— marked by diversity or difference
Azerbaijani:
dəyişən
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Bulgarian:
променлив
(promenliv)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Catalan:
variable
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Chinese Mandarin:
變數 /变数
(biànshù)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Czech:
variabilní
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Czech:
proměnný
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Dutch:
veranderlijk
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Dutch:
variabel
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Estonian:
muutuja
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Finnish:
vaihteleva
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
French:
variable
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Georgian:
ცვლადი
(cvladi)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
German:
variabel
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Greek:
μεταβλητή
(metavlití)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Hebrew:
משתנה
(mishtane)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Hindi:
चर
(car)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Indonesian:
variabel
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Italian:
variabile
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Japanese:
可変
(kahen)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Latin:
variābilis
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Macedonian:
про́менлив
(prómenliv)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Māori:
taurangi
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Norwegian:
variabel
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Persian:
متغیر
(moteġayyer)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Polish:
zmienny
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Portuguese:
variável
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Romanian:
variabil
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Russian:
переме́нный
(pereménnyj)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Russian:
переме́нная
(pereménnaja)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Swedish:
variabel
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Tagalog:
aligan
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Telugu:
చర
(cara)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Ukrainian:
змі́нна
(zmínna)
— mathematics: having no fixed quantitative value
Bulgarian:
изменчив
(izmenčiv)
— biology: tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type
Norwegian:
avvikende
— biology: tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type
Polish:
zmienny
— biology: tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type
Romanian:
schimbabil
— biology: tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type
Romanian:
variabil
— biology: tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type
Swedish:
avvikande
— biology: tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type
Asturian:
variable
— something that is variable
Catalan:
variable
— something that is variable
Czech:
proměnná
— something that is variable
Dutch:
variabele
— something that is variable
Dutch:
veranderlijke
— something that is variable
French:
variable
— something that is variable
Galician:
variable
— something that is variable
Galician:
variábel
— something that is variable
German:
Variable
— something that is variable
Indonesian:
variabel
— something that is variable
Italian:
variabile
— something that is variable
Norwegian:
variabel
— something that is variable
Polish:
zmienna
— something that is variable
Portuguese:
variável
— something that is variable
Romanian:
variabilă
— something that is variable
Spanish:
variable
— something that is variable
Swedish:
variabel
— something that is variable
Telugu:
చరము
(caramu)
— something that is variable
Turkish:
değişken
— something that is variable
Czech:
faktor
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Dutch:
veranderlijke
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Dutch:
variabele
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Dutch:
variabele waarde
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Finnish:
muuttuja
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
French:
variable
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
French:
paramètre
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
German:
Variable
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Italian:
variabile
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Norwegian:
variabel
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Polish:
zmienna
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Portuguese:
variável
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Russian:
неизве́стное
(neizvéstnoje)
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Swedish:
parameter
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Swedish:
variabel
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Turkish:
değişken
— something whose value may be dictated or discovered
Albanian:
variabël
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Arabic:
مُتَغَيِّر
(mutaḡayyir)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Asturian:
variable
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Azerbaijani:
dəyişən
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Belarusian:
пераме́нная
(pjeramjénnaja)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Belarusian:
зме́нная
(zmjénnaja)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Bulgarian:
проме́нлива
(proménliva)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Burmese:
ကိန်းရှင်
(kin:hrang)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Catalan:
variable
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Chinese Mandarin:
變數 /变数
(biànshù)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Chinese Mandarin:
變量 /变量
(biànliàng)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Czech:
proměnná
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Danish:
variabel
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Dutch:
variabele
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Dutch:
veranderlijke
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Estonian:
muutuja
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Finnish:
muuttuja
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
French:
variable
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
French:
paramètre
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Galician:
variable
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Galician:
variábel
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
German:
Variable
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
German:
Parameter
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Greek:
μεταβλητή
(metavlití)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Hebrew:
מִשְׁתַּנֶּה
(mishtané)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Hebrew:
נֶעְלָם
(ne'lám)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Hindi:
चर
(car)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Hungarian:
változó
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Icelandic:
breyta
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Indonesian:
variabel
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Indonesian:
peubah
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Italian:
variabile
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Italian:
parametro
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Japanese:
変数
(hensū)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Japanese:
変項
(henkō)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Kazakh:
айнымалы
(ainymaly)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Khmer:
អថេរ
(ʼɑɑʼɑthee)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Korean:
변수
(byeonsu)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Lao:
ຕົວແປ
(tūa pǣ)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Macedonian:
променлива
(promenliva)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Māori:
taurangi
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Māori:
tau taurangi
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Mongolian:
хувьсагч
(xuvʹsagč)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Norwegian:
variabel
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Persian:
متغیر
(moteġayyer)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Polish:
zmienna
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Portuguese:
variável
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Romanian:
variabilă
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Romanian:
parametru
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Russian:
переме́нная
(pereménnaja)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Serbo-Croatian:
променљива
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Serbo-Croatian:
промјенљива
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Serbo-Croatian:
promenljiva
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Serbo-Croatian:
promjenljiva
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Slovak:
premenná
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Slovene:
spremenljívka
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Spanish:
variable
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Swedish:
variabel
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Tagalog:
aligin
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Tajik:
мутағайир
(mutaġayyir)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Telugu:
చరరాశి
(cararāśi)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Thai:
ตัวแปร
(dtuua-bprɛɛ)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Turkish:
değişken
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Ukrainian:
змі́нна
(zmínna)
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Vietnamese:
biên sô
— mathematics: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values
Bulgarian:
променлива
(promenliva)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Bulgarian:
неизвестна
(neizvestna)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Dutch:
variabel
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Dutch:
veranderlijk
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Finnish:
muuttuja
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
French:
variable
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
French:
paramètre
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
German:
Variable
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
German:
Symbol
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
German:
Platzhalter
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
German:
Variablensymbol
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Greek:
μεταβλητή
(metavlití)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Japanese:
変数
(hensū)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Korean:
변수
(byeonsu)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Norwegian:
variabel
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Persian:
متغیر
(moteġayyer)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Polish:
zmienna
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Portuguese:
variável
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Romanian:
variabilă
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Russian:
неизве́стная
(neizvéstnaja)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Russian:
переме́нная
(pereménnaja)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Swedish:
variabel
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Tagalog:
aligin
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Thai:
ตัวแปร
(dtuua-bprɛɛ)
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Turkish:
değişken
— mathematics: a symbol representing a variable
Arabic:
مُتَغَيِّر
(mutaḡayyir)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Bulgarian:
променлива
(promenliva)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Chinese Mandarin:
變量 /变量
(biànliàng)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Czech:
proměnná
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Dutch:
variabele
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Finnish:
muuttuja
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
French:
variable
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
German:
Variable
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Greek:
μεταβλητή
(metavlití)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Hebrew:
מִשְׁתַּנֶּה
(mishtané)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Hindi:
चर
(car)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Japanese:
変数
(hensū)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Korean:
변수
(byeonsu)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Norwegian:
variabel
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Persian:
متغیر
(moteġayyer)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Polish:
zmienna
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Portuguese:
variável
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Russian:
переме́нная
(pereménnaja)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Swedish:
variabel
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Thai:
ตัวแปร
(dtuua-bprɛɛ)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Turkish:
değişken
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Ukrainian:
змі́нна
(zmínna)
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage
Vietnamese:
biên sô
— computing: a named mutable piece of storage