variable English · revision 7672

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1387|origins=la vario}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈveəriəb(ə)l/ ''(UK)''; /ˈveriəb(ə)l/, /ˈværiəb(ə)l/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, [[bor|fro|variable|t=various, changeable, fickle]] and directly Late Latin [[m|la-lat|variabilis|t=changeable]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|vario|alt=variāre|t=to change]] (see [[vary]]) and -abilis, [[-able]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of persons, apt to change, fickle: 1387, in Trevisa's translation of Higden's ''Polychronicon''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Lack of uniformity, diversity, is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and subject to change, capable of being altered, by about 1400.^(Etymonline) Of the weather and seasons it is from the late 15th century,^(Etymonline) and of stars, ''variable star'', from 1788.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) In mathematics, quantitatively indeterminate is from 1710,^(Etymonline) and the noun, a quantity that can vary, from 1816.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) A symbol for a variable quantity in logic and mathematics is first recorded in 1910.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1387 – fickle.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1400 – subject to change.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 15th century – of weather.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1788 – variable star.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1816 – the noun.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1910 – a symbol in logic.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Likely to [[change]]; changeable: ''variable weather''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Inconstant; [[fickle]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Tending to differ from the normal type.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' Having no fixed value.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something that varies or tends to vary.^(AHD)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' A quantity that can take any of a set of values, or a symbol for it.^(AHD)

+ # A [[variable star]].^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[variableness]]

+ * [[variably]]

+ * [[variability]]

+ * [[hypervariable]]

+ * [[nonvariable]]

+ * [[unvariable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[variable star]]

+ * [[vary]]

+ * [[variety]]

+ * [[variance]]

+ * [[variation]]

+ * [[various]]

+ * [[invariable]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}