a cost that varies directly with output
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
var′iable cost′,
- Accounting, Businessa cost that varies with a change in the volume of output while remaining uniform on a per-unit basis, as cost of labor (distinguished from fixed cost).
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'variable cost' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):