variation

UK: /ˌvɛəriˈeɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌvɛriˈeɪʃən/ ,(vâr′ē ā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

var•i•a•tion /ˌvɛriˈeɪʃən/   n. 

1. the act or process of varying or differing from what is normal or usual:
   [uncountable] Those prices are subject to much variation.
2. an instance of this:
   [countable] a variation in quality.
3. amount or degree of change:
   [countable] a temperature variation of 20°.
4. [countable] a different form of something;
   variant.
5. Music and Dance [countable] the transformation of a melody or theme in music by means of changes or elaborations in harmony, rhythm, and melody.

See -var-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

var•i•a•tion  (vâr′ē ā′shən), n. 

1. the act, process, or accident of varying in condition, character, or degree:
   Prices are subject to variation.
2. an instance of this:
   There is a variation in the quality of fabrics in this shipment.
3. amount, rate, extent, or degree of change:
   a temperature variation of 40° in a particular climate.
4. a different form of something; variant.
5. Music and Dance
   • the transformation of a melody or theme with changes or elaborations in harmony, rhythm, and melody.
   • a varied form of a melody or theme, esp. one of a series of such forms developing the capacities of the subject.
6. Music and Dance [Ballet.] a solo dance, esp. one forming a section of a pas de deux.
7. Astronomy any deviation from the mean orbit of a heavenly body, esp. of a planetary or satellite orbit.
8. Nautical Also called magnetic declination, magnetic variation. [Navig.] the angle between the geographic and the magnetic meridian at a given point, expressed in plus degrees east or minus degrees west of true north. Cf. deviation (def. 4).
9. [Biol.] a difference or deviation in structure or character from others of the same species or group.

• Latin, as above
• Anglo-French
• Latin variātiōn- (stem of variātiō), equivalent. to variāt(us) (see variate) + -iōn- -ion; replacing Middle English variacioun
• 1350–1400

var′i•a′tion•al, var•i•a•tive  (vâr′ē ā′tiv), adj.  var′i•a′tion•al•ly, var′i•a′tive•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. mutation, alteration, modification; deviation, divergence, difference.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

variation / ˌvɛərɪˈeɪʃən/ noun

1. the act, process, condition, or result of changing or varying; diversity
2. an instance of varying or the amount, rate, or degree of such change
3. something that differs from a standard or convention
4. a repetition of a musical theme in which the rhythm, harmony, or melody is altered or embellished
5. (as modifier): variation form
6. a marked deviation from the typical form or function
7. any change in or deviation from the mean motion or orbit of a planet, satellite, etc, esp a perturbation of the moon
8. another word for magnetic declination
9. a solo dance

ˌvariˈational adjective