Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Variation has 12 different meanings across 1 category:
an instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change
"The sudden variation in wind speed caught us off guard while we were trying to land the glider."
a repetition of a musical theme in which it is modified or embellished
"The composer introduced a lively variation on the slow melody to keep the listeners engaged during the second movement."
the angle (at a particular location) between magnetic north and true north
"The compass reading showed a significant variation, indicating that magnetic north was pointing quite differently from true north at our current coordinates."
the process of varying or being varied
"The variation in his daily routine helped him avoid feeling bored at work."
(astronomy) any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite (especially a perturbation of the earth's moon)
"Astronomers detected a subtle variation in the Moon's orbit that indicated gravitational interference from nearby celestial bodies."
the act of changing or altering something slightly but noticeably from the norm or standard
"who is responsible for these variations in taxation?"
The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing.
"The subtle variation in his voice betrayed his nervousness during the audition."
In plain English: Variation is when something changes or is different from what is usual.
"The variation in the weather made it hard to plan our outdoor picnic."
Usage: Use variation to describe any difference from an original standard or expected pattern, such as changes in data sets or musical melodies. It is often confused with "deviation," but while deviation implies moving away from a norm, variation simply denotes the existence of differences within a group.
The word entered English from the Old French variacion, which was borrowed directly from the Latin variātiō. It originally carried the meaning of a change or difference resulting from being varied.