Definition of "variation" in English

noun

1. The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing.

2. A related but distinct thing.

   • When the process didn't work, we tried a variation.
   • All of his soups are variations on a single recipe.

3. (nautical) The angular difference at the vessel between the direction of true north and magnetic north.

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.

8. (linguistics) The situation where two or more linguistic forms appear in the same environment without a change in meaning, the choice of form being determined by factors of dialect, sociolect, register or simply the speaker's preference.