any star that varies considerably in brightness, either irregularly or in regular periods. Intrinsic variables, in which the variation is a result of internal changes, include novae, supernovae, and pulsating stars
See also eclipsing binary
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
var′iable star′, [Astron.]
- Astronomya star that varies markedly in brightness from time to time. Also called variable.
- 1780–90
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'variable star' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Cepheid variable
- Cetus
- Mira
- Perseus
- RR Lyrae star
- eclipsing binary
- eclipsing variable
- irregular variable
- nova
- period
- pulsating star
- variable