n.
Pronunciation: p ə - ' ram- ə -t ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from para- + Greek metron measure ― more at MEASURE
Date: 1852
1 a : an arbitrary constant whose value characterizes a member of a system (as a family of curves) also : a quantity (as a mean or variance) that describes a statistical population b : an independent variable used to express the coordinates of a variable point and functions of them ― compare PARAMETRIC EQUATION
2 : any of a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something < parameter s of the atmosphere such as temperature, pressure, and density>
3 : something represented by a parameter : a characteristic element broadly : CHARACTERISTIC , ELEMENT , FACTOR <political dissent as a parameter of modern life>
4 : LIMIT , BOUNDARY ― usually used in plural <the parameter s of science fiction>
– para · met · ric \ ˌ pa-r ə - ' me-trik \ adjective
– para · met · ri · cal · ly \ -tri-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb