Variant
WordNet
adjective
(1) Differing from a norm or standard
"A variant spelling"
(2) Exhibiting or tending to variation and change
"Letters variant in size"
noun
(3) Something a little different from others of the same type
"An experimental version of the night fighter"
"A variant of the same word"
"An emery wheel is the modern variation of a grindstone"
"The boy is a younger edition of his father"
(4) A variable quantity that is random
(5) An event that departs from expectations
(6) (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups
"A new strain of microorganisms"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
Recorded since c.1380, from (=modern) variant, from , the present active participle of .
Adjective
Noun
- Something that is slightly different from a type or norm.
- All breeds of dog are variants of the species “Canis lupus familiaris”.
- "The word "kerosine" is a variant of “kerosene”.
- A different sequence of a gene (locus).
- A random number.