Variation
/ˌvɛə.riˈeɪ.ʃən/noun
A change or difference from a standard form, amount, or condition.
Did you know?Variation enters English through Latin and Old French, but its deeper root is the same ancient source behind words like variable and various: the idea of turning or changing direction.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer-
“to turn, bend, or change”
Latin
Latin
variare
“to alter, change, or make different”
Late Latin
Latin
variatio
“a changing, altering, or diversity”
Old French
Old French
variation
“change, alteration, or difference”
14th–15th Century
English
variation
“a change or departure from an original form”
Modern English
English
variation
“a change or difference from a standard form, amount, or condition”