[var.i.able] adj [ME, fr. MF, fr. L variabilis, fr. variare to vary] (14c) 1 a: able or apt to vary: subject to variation or changes "~ winds" "~ costs" b: fickle, inconstant
2: characterized by variations
3: having the characteristics of a variable
4: not true to type: aberrant--used of a biological group or character -- var.i.abil.i.ty n -- var.i.able.ness n -- var.i.ably adv
[2]variable n (1816) 1 a: a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values b: a symbol representing a variable
2: something that is variable
3: variable star