Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

variance

/ˈvæɹ.i.əns/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.45 in modern English

Syllables
vari-ance
IPA
/ˈvæɹ.i.əns/
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The act of varying or the state of being variable.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A difference between what is expected and what is observed; deviation.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The state of differing or being in conflict.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

An official permit to do something that is ordinarily forbidden by regulations.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A discrepancy between two legal documents.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A departure from a cause of action originally in a complaint.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The second central moment in probability; the square of the standard deviation.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The number of degrees of freedom in a system.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English variance, variaunce, equivalent to vary + -ance, from Old French variance or directly from Anglo-Latin variaunce, veriaunce, wariaunce; all from Latin variantia.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈvæɹ.i.əns/
  • British English: /ˈvɛə.ɹi.əns/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce variance?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈvæɹ.i.əns/.
What does variance mean?
The act of varying or the state of being variable.
Where does variance come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce variance

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “variance”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈvæɹ.i.əns/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “variance”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “variance” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.