parameter
n. countablen. a rule or limit that controls how something should be done. In computer science, it is also a piece of information you give to a program so it knows how to run.
n. a numerical or other measurable factor forming one of a set that defines a system or sets the conditions of its operation. In programming, it refers to a variable passed into a function or procedure.
We need to set the parameters for the new project.
The software allows users to adjust the search parameters to filter results by date, location, and file size.
The researchers had to define the experimental parameters strictly to ensure that the data collected would be statistically significant and reproducible by other laboratories.
From French paramètre, from New Latin parametrum (“parameter”), from Ancient Greek παρα- (para-, “beside”) + μέτρον (métron, “measure”).
Often used in the plural ('parameters') when referring to general limits or boundaries of an activity.
within the perimeters of the lawwithin the parameters of the lawLearners often confuse 'parameter' (a limit or variable) with 'perimeter' (the outer boundary or edge of an area).