the act, process, or accident of varying in condition, character, or degree: Prices are subject to variation.
an instance of this: There is a variation in the quality of fabrics in this shipment.
amount, rate, extent, or degree of change: a temperature variation of 40° in a particular climate.
a different form of something; variant.
Music.
the transformation of a melody or theme with changes or elaborations in harmony, rhythm, and melody.
a varied form of a melody or theme, especially one of a series of such forms developing the capacities of the subject.
Ballet. a solo dance, especially one forming a section of a pas de deux.
Astronomy. any deviation from the mean orbit of a heavenly body, especially of a planetary or satellite orbit.
Also called magnetic declination,magnetic variation.Navigation. 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.Compare deviation (def. 4).
Biology. a difference or deviation in structure or character from others of the same species or group.
Origin of variation
1350–1400; <Latin variātiōn- (stem of variātiō), equivalent to variāt(us) (see variate) + -iōn--ion; replacing Middle English variacioun<Anglo-French <Latin, as above
Some variation of the truth will set you free, so I suggest you go on a truth offensive.
Spilling Sex Secrets for Cash|Eugene Robinson|August 17, 2020|Ozy
He was initially focused on temperature variations, and he viewed the pressure peaks as unwelcome noise.
Global Wave Discovery Ends 220-Year Search|Charlie Wood|August 13, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Inter-subject variations are to be expected, for example due to differences in physiology, mask fit, head position, speech pattern and such.
4 reasons you shouldn’t trash your neck gaiter based on the new mask study|Jonathan Lambert|August 12, 2020|Science News
This big data approach scans existing genomic databases for variations in DNA coding that could lead to differences in some outcome—for example, long versus short life.
The Secret to a Long, Healthy Life Is in the Genes of the Oldest Humans Alive|Shelly Fan|August 10, 2020|Singularity Hub
Some frequencies will show up more strongly than others, and these variations highlight patterns — for instance, a strong frequency might indicate that the list contains more odd numbers than even ones.
Landmark Math Proof Clears Hurdle in Top Erdős Conjecture|Erica Klarreich|August 3, 2020|Quanta Magazine
At one point in this show, a variation of this happened, in succession.
Butts, ‘Bang Bang’ & Beyoncé: The Craziest MTV Video Music Awards Moments|Kevin Fallon|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Climate warming can be charted as a long-term rising trend with variation.
Who Will Save the Wolverine? Not the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service|Doug Peacock|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Papers and websites are filled with opinion pieces running some variation of the title “Who lost Iraq?”
Iran Is the Biggest Loser in Iraq|Aki Peritz|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By sticking to the variation you hold by, there is individualism.
The Rise and Fall…and Rise Again of the Old-Fashioned|Allison McNearney|June 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There is a set of booster vaccines at about kindergarten age, with a little bit of variation from practice to practice.
Jenny McCarthy Says She’s Never Been Anti-Vaccine. Yeah, Right.|Russell Saunders|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As the afternoon advances, for variation, there is a fight at the barriers.
Life on a Mediaeval Barony|William Stearns Davis
Variation in coloration is of such magnitude that it has been used as the basis for recognition of subspecies.
A Revision of Snakes of the Genus Conophis (Family Colubridae, from Middle America)|John Wellman
This postulate may appropriately be stated as the fixation of new averages of variation by inheritance.
The Science and Philosophy of the Organism|Hans Driesch
Rube, by way of variation, occasionally visited the stables to see to the horses.
The Watchers of the Plains|Ridgewell Cullum
A keen examination suggests that on the whole advance has been made, allowance being conceded for many a turn and variation.
Recollections and Impressions|Octavius Brooks Frothingham
British Dictionary definitions for variation
variation
/ (ˌvɛərɪˈeɪʃən) /
noun
the act, process, condition, or result of changing or varying; diversity
an instance of varying or the amount, rate, or degree of such change
something that differs from a standard or convention
music
a repetition of a musical theme in which the rhythm, harmony, or melody is altered or embellished
(as modifier)variation form
biology
a marked deviation from the typical form or function
a characteristic or an organism showing this deviation
astronomyany change in or deviation from the mean motion or orbit of a planet, satellite, etc, esp a perturbation of the moon
another word for magnetic declination
balleta solo dance
linguisticsany form of morphophonemic change, such as one involved in inflection, conjugation, or vowel mutation