Borrowed into Middle English in the 14th century from Old French variable, from Latin variare, from varius.

• (British) IPA: /ˈvɛə.ɹi.ə.bl̩/
• (America, non-Mary-marry-merry) IPA: /ˈvæɹ.i.ə.bl̩/
• (America, Mary-marry-merry) IPA: /ˈvɛɹ.i.ə.bl̩/

variable

1. Able to vary or be varied.

   Synonyms: alterable, flexible, changeable, mutable, Thesaurus:mutable

   Antonyms: constant, invariable, immutable, unalterable, unchangeable, Thesaurus:immutable

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

2. Likely to vary.

   Synonyms: fickle, fluctuating, inconstant, shifting, unstable, unsteady, Thesaurus:unsteady, Thesaurus:changeable

   Antonyms: constant, invariable, immutable, unchangeable, 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, Thesaurus:heterogeneous

   Antonyms: unchanging, Thesaurus:homogeneous

4. (mathematics) Having no fixed quantitative value.

   Antonyms: constant, invariable

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

   Synonyms: aberrant

• French: variable
• German: variabel
• Italian: variabile, regolabile, flessiblie, modificabile
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: переме́нный
• Spanish: variable

• German: variabel
• Italian: variabile
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: переме́нный
• Spanish: variable

• French: variable
• Italian: variabile
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: переме́нный

• French: variable
• German: variabel
• Italian: variabile
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: переме́нный

variable (plural variables)

1. Something that is variable.

   Synonyms: changeable

   Antonyms: constant, invariable

2. Something whose value may be dictated or discovered.

   Synonyms: parameter

   There are several variables to consider here.

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

   Synonyms: variable quantity, 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.

• French: variable
• German: Variable
• Italian: variabile
• Portuguese: variável
• Spanish: variable

• French: variable, paramètre
• German: Variable
• Italian: variabile
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: неизве́стное

• French: variable, paramètre
• German: Variable, Parameter
• Italian: variabile, parametro
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: переме́нная
• Spanish: variable

• French: variable, paramètre
• German: Variable, Symbol, Platzhalter, Variablensymbol,
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: неизвестная

• French: variable
• German: Variable
• Portuguese: variável
• Russian: переме́нная