variable

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science Academic

n. a factor or condition that can change and affect the result of something.

n. an element, feature, or factor that is liable to vary or change, especially within a scientific experiment.

“Temperature is a key variable that affects how fast the plants grow.”

“The researchers attempted to control every possible variable, yet the final results still showed significant discrepancies between the two test groups.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Computing Technical

n. a symbol or name that represents a value that can change.

n. a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values; in programming, a named memory location for storing data.

“In this equation, 'x' is the variable we need to solve for.”

“The developer declared a global variable to track the user's score across different levels of the application.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical

n. a star whose brightness changes over time.

n. a star whose luminosity changes, either irregularly or somewhat regularly.

“The astronomer spent months tracking the brightness of the variable.”

“Observations of this particular variable suggest that its pulsation period is shortening as it enters a new stage of stellar evolution.”

C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Technical

n. winds that change direction often, or areas of the sea where this happens.

n. a shifting wind or one that varies in force; in the plural, regions of the sea where steady winds are absent.

“The ship struggled to make progress while stuck in the variables.”

“The captain noted that the light variables were making navigation difficult, as the sails could not catch a consistent breeze.”