VARIANT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does variant mean? 

• VARIANT (noun)
  The noun VARIANT has 4 senses:

1. an event that departs from expectations

2. (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups

3. a variable quantity that is random

4. something a little different from others of the same type

  Familiarity information: VARIANT used as a noun is uncommon.

• VARIANT (adjective)
  The adjective VARIANT has 2 senses:

1. differing from a norm or standard

2. exhibiting variation and change

  Familiarity information: VARIANT used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VARIANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An event that departs from expectations

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

discrepancy; variance; variant

Hypernyms ("variant" is a kind of...):

departure; deviation; difference; divergence (a variation that deviates from the standard or norm)

Derivation:

variant (differing from a norm or standard)

vary (be at variance with; be out of line with)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

form; strain; var.; variant

Context example:

a new strain of microorganisms

Hypernyms ("variant" is a kind of...):

taxon; taxonomic category; taxonomic group (animal or plant group having natural relations)

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Holonyms ("variant" is a member of...):

species ((biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed)

Derivation:

variant (exhibiting variation and change)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A variable quantity that is random

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

chance variable; random variable; stochastic variable; variant; variate

Hypernyms ("variant" is a kind of...):

variable; variable quantity (a quantity that can assume any of a set of values)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Something a little different from others of the same type

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

edition; variant; variation; version

Context example:

the boy is a younger edition of his father

Hypernyms ("variant" is a kind of...):

type (a subdivision of a particular kind of thing)

Derivation:

variant (exhibiting variation and change)

vary (become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence)

• VARIANT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Differing from a norm or standard

Context example:

a variant spelling

Similar:

different (unlike in nature or quality or form or degree)

Derivation:

variance (an activity that varies from a norm or standard)

variant (an event that departs from expectations)

vary (become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence)

vary (be at variance with; be out of line with)

vary (be subject to change in accordance with a variable)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Exhibiting variation and change

Context example:

letters variant in size

Similar:

variable (liable to or capable of change)

Derivation:

variance (the quality of being subject to variation)

variant (something a little different from others of the same type)

variant ((biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups)

vary (make something more diverse and varied)

vary (be subject to change in accordance with a variable)

 Context examples 

A rare morphologic variant of chondrosarcoma occurring in adults.

(Adult Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A study led researchers to suggest that a gene variant may be the key, perhaps providing a new direction toward developing a treatment.

(Unique case of disease resistance reveals possible Alzheimer’s treatment, National Institutes of Health)

A variant of gastric adenocarcinoma with more than half of the tumor containing extracellular mucinous pools.

(Mucinous Gastric Adenocarcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

The papillary histologic variant occurs virtually exclusively in adults.

(Adult Craniopharyngioma, NCI Thesaurus)

A variant of adenomyoma associated with glandular architectural complexity is called atypical polypoid adenomyoma.

(Adenomyoma, NCI Thesaurus)

The variant fusion partners include NUMA1, ZBTB16, STAT5B, and NPM1.

(Acute Myeloid Leukemia with a Variant RARA Translocation, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers found overlap between the protein-related functions of some linked common variants and rare variants associated with schizophrenia in other studies.

(Over 100 Genetic Sites Tied to Schizophrenia, NIH)

Certain allelic variants of the MUTYH gene are associated with colorectal cancer.

(MUTYH wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers have begun creating additional variants that they hope will be able to clear infections at lower doses.

(Venom of Wasp, Bee Repurposed as Antibiotic Drug, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Human NAT2*14 allele is a designation for a group of variant alleles of the NAT2 gene, which is located in the vicinity of 8p22 and is approximately 10 kb in length.

(NAT2*14 Allele, NCI Thesaurus)