variant
slightly different version of something
A form of something that is a little different from the usual or main form.
a variant of [something]
- This recipe is a vegetarian variant of the classic dish.
- The company released a cheaper variant of the smartphone for emerging markets.
- The game has several variants, each with slightly different rules.
- British English uses a different variant of this term than American English.
- Our team is testing multiple design variants before choosing one.
- This song is a new variant of an old song.
- They made a smaller variant of the car for city drivers.
- I learned a faster variant of this card game.
genetically distinct form of a virus
A type of a virus that has changed in its genes and may spread or act differently from the original virus.
[disease] variant / variant of [a virus]
- Health officials are closely monitoring a new variant of the virus.
- This variant spreads more quickly but does not seem to cause more severe illness.
- Several variants have appeared, each with slightly different genetic changes.
- The Omicron variant led to a rapid rise in cases worldwide.
- Vaccines are being updated to target the latest variants.
- A new variant of the virus was found last month.
- This variant can spread faster than the old one.
- Doctors are studying how dangerous the new variant is.
non-standard form of a word
A different form of a word, spelling, or way of saying it inside one language.
a variant of [a word / expression]
- The dictionary lists several spelling variants of this name.
- In this region, speakers use a local variant of the word for "child."
- The researcher analyzed phonetic variants of the vowel in different dialects.
- Old texts often show archaic variants of modern words.
- This suffix has two commonly used variants in spoken English.
- Color and colour are variants of the same word.
- This dialect uses a different variant of that verb.
- Teachers should explain that some variants are formal and some are informal.
differing in form or detail
Different in some way from another thing of the same type.
variant [noun]
- The word has several variant spellings in historical documents.
- We tested two variant designs of the user interface.
- The study found highly variant responses among participants.
- These variant rules apply only in special cases.
- The artist produced variant versions of the same painting.
- This word has two variant spellings.
- They offer a variant model with fewer features.
- The data shows variant results in different groups.
changing under a given operation
In math or science, not staying the same when a special change or operation happens.
variant under [operation / transformation]
- This quantity is variant under a change of reference frame.
- The author introduces a gauge-variant formulation of the theory.
- Certain terms in the equation are invariant, while others are explicitly variant.
- The result is variant with respect to the chosen coordinate system.
- In this model, pressure is variant but temperature remains invariant.
- In this example, the value is variant when we change the frame.
- Some parts of the formula are invariant and some are variant.
- The field is variant under that transformation.
- Base: variant
- Base: variant
- Plural: variants
a variant of
1a slightly different form of
Used to say that something is a form of another thing, but a little different from the usual form.
- This sauce is a variant of a traditional French recipe.
- Their new logo is a modern variant of the old design.
- The game we play is a variant of chess with different rules.
dialectal variant
1dialect-specific form of a word
A form of a word or phrase that people use only in one region or dialect.
- This term is a dialectal variant used mainly in the north of the country.
- Linguists recorded several dialectal variants of the same basic phrase.
- The word you used is a dialectal variant, not standard nationwide.
variant form
1alternate form of something
A form of something that is different from the usual one, but still the same kind of thing.
- The teacher showed us a variant form of the exercise.
- This symbol has a variant form used in older texts.
- Some verbs have a variant form in casual speech.
variant spelling
1non-standard or alternate spelling
A different spelling of a word that is also used, often in another country, time, or style.
- Colour is the British variant spelling of color.
- The dictionary marks this as a rare variant spelling.
- Older texts often use variant spellings of common words.
virus variant
1genetically different form of a virus
A type of a virus that has changed in its genes and may act differently from other types of the same virus.
- Scientists are tracking a new virus variant spreading in the region.
- Each virus variant may respond differently to treatment.
- The vaccine still gives strong protection against this virus variant.