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• n  something that is likely to vary; something that is subject to variation
  the weather is one variable to be considered
• n  a quantity that can assume any of a set of values
• n  a star that varies noticeably in brightness
• n  a symbol (like x or y) that is used in mathematical or logical expressions to represent a variable quantity
• a  liable to or capable of change
  rainfall in the tropics is notoriously variable
  variable winds
  variable expenses
• s  marked by diversity or difference
  nature is infinitely variable
• s  (used of a device) designed so that a property (as e.g. light) can be varied
  a variable capacitor
  variable filters in front of the mercury xenon lights

• Desmond (a "variable" in "The Constant") was able to moor himself to time thanks to Penny (a "constant").
• The hottest fight in the insurance business rages around the variable annuity, which would match payments to the rise or fall in 'the cost of living.
• THE insurance industry is embroiled this week in a first-class row over the variable annuity, the newest gadget in financial security.

• variable quantity
• variable star
• varying

• invariable

News & Articles

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• New Type of Variable Star Found (Photo)
  A previously unknown kind of variable star is on brilliant display 7,000 light-years from Earth in a new photo taken by a telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.
  June 12, 2013 - SPACE.com via Yahoo! News
• Increased Adoption of Variable Frequency Drives Promote Uptake of Harmonic Filters, Finds Frost & Sullivan
  MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The use of variable frequency drives create multiple levels of harmonics in the system, which cannot be rectified or cleaned up without a harmonic filter. ...
  June 12, 2013 - PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance
• What’s Going On Inside This New Kind of Variable Star?
  A new kind of variable star — 36 of that type, in fact — has been found in a single star cluster. Astronomers don’t even have a name for the star type yet, but feel free to leave some suggestions in the comments! For now, however, astronomers are wondering what the implications are for our [...]
  June 12, 2013 - Universe Today

Quotes

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• Christian Noyer in Bloomberg
  Conserving capital "would require some restraint in dividend distribution and, or course, in the overall amount of variable compensation," Noyer said. "In parallel, all possibilities to issue new equity should be exploited."
• Ahmed Fahour in Sydney Morning Herald
  Unfortunately, the current environment means that the RBA cash rate does not reflect the true cost of funding a home loan anymore,Mr Fahour said. "Even with this additional 0.04 per cent change on variable rate products NAB is continuing...
• Ben Bernanke in MarketWatch
  Such products could be designed to avoid or mitigate the risk of payment shock and to be more transparent with respect to their terms,Bernanke wrote. "They might also contain features to improve affordability, such as variable maturities...