Wordwyrt

variable

/ˈveɹiəbəl/VEH-ree-uh-buhl
/ˈvɛɹiəbəl/VEH-ree-uh-buhl

Meaningable to vary

Common meaning: changeable

Other meanings: a quantity that can change

Journey through time

  1. Latinvariare‘to diversify, vary’source
  2. Frenchvariersource
  3. Middle Englishvariensource
  4. Englishvary‘to change’
  5. Englishformed in English from varyvariable‘changeable’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from vary + -able.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), VARY, p.680 · scan

Source words

  • variare Latin · source word “to diversify, vary”

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