different between variant vs variation

English

Alternative forms

• variaunt (obsolete)

Etymology

Recorded since c.1380, from Old French variant, from Latin vari?ns, the present active participle of vari? (“to change”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: vâr'?-?nt, IPA^(key): /?v???i.?nt/, /?væ?i.?nt/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?v???i.?nt/

Adjective

variant (comparative more variant, superlative most variant)

1. Showing variety, diverse.
2. Showing deviation or disagreement.
3. (obsolete) Variable.
4. (programming) Covariant and/or contravariant.

Translations

Noun

variant (plural variants)

1. Something that is slightly different from a type or norm.

   All breeds of dog are variants of the species “Canis lupus familiaris”.

   The word "kerosine" is a variant of “kerosene”.

2. (genetics) A different sequence of a gene (locus).
3. (computing) A variable that can hold any of various unrelated data types.
4. (linguistics, lexicography) One of a set of words or other linguistic forms that conveys the same meaning or serves the same function.

Related terms

• variance
• variation
• vary

Translations

See also

• alternate
• alternative

Anagrams

• nativar

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin vari?ns, attested from 1839.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /v?.?i?ant/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /b?.?i?an/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /va.?i?ant/

Adjective

variant (masculine and feminine plural variants)

1. varying

Noun

variant m (plural variants)

1. variant

Related terms

• variar

References

Further reading

• “variant” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “variant” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “variant” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French variant or variante, from Latin vari?ns.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?va?.ri??nt/
• Hyphenation: va?ri?ant
• Rhymes: -?nt

Noun

variant m (plural varianten, diminutive variantje n)

1. A variant.

Synonyms

• variante

Derived terms

Related terms

• variabiliteit
• variabel
• variatie
• variëren
• variëteit

Descendants

• ? Indonesian: varian

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /va.?j??/

Verb

variant

1. present participle of varier

Adjective

variant (feminine singular variante, masculine plural variants, feminine plural variantes)

1. varied, which varies; variable

Related terms

• variabilité
• variable
• variation

Further reading

• “variant” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Verb

variant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of vari?

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin varians

Noun

variant m (definite singular varianten, indefinite plural varianter, definite plural variantene)

1. a variant

References

• “variant” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin varians

Noun

variant m (definite singular varianten, indefinite plural variantar, definite plural variantane)

1. a variant

References

• “variant” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old French

Adjective

variant m (oblique and nominative feminine singular variant or variante)

1. varying; which varies

Descendants

• ? English: variant
• French: variant

Swedish

Etymology

From French variante, attested from 1779.

Noun

variant c

1. variant

Declension

Related terms

• variera

References

English

Etymology

From Middle French variation, from Old French variacion, from Latin vari?ti?.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?v?????e??n?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?v???i?e??n?/, /?væ?i?e??n?/, /?v??i?e??n?/
• , (Mary–marry–merry distinction)
• Hyphenation: va?ri?a?tion

Noun

variation (usually uncountable, plural variations)

1. The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing.
2. A related but distinct thing.
3. (nautical) The angular difference at the vessel between the direction of true north and magnetic north.

   Synonym: magnetic declination

4. (board games) A line of play that differs from the original.
5. (music) A technique where material is repeated with alterations to the melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, texture, counterpoint or orchestration; but with some invariant characteristic, e.g. a ground bass.
6. (genetics) The modification of a hereditary trait.
7. (astronomy) Deviation from the mean orbit of a heavenly body.

Derived terms

• magnetic variation
• theme and variations

Related terms

• vary
• variant

Translations

References

• US FM 55-501 MARINE CREWMAN’S HANDBOOK; 1 December 1999
• variation in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• variation in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vari?ti?. See also véraison.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /va.?ja.sj??/

Noun

variation f (plural variations)

1. variation

Derived terms

• boîte de vitesses à variation continue

Related terms

• varier

Further reading

• “variation” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Swedish

Etymology

From French variation, attested from 1656.

Noun

variation c

1. variation

Declension

Related terms

• variant
• variera

References