variant

1 of 2

adjective

var·​i·​ant ˈver-ē-ənt 

1

: manifesting variety, deviation, or disagreement

variant interpretations/opinions

2

: varying usually slightly from a usual or standard form

variant readings

variant spellings

variant forms of a disease

a variant bacterial strain

3

obsolete : variable

variant

2 of 2

noun

plural variants

: one of two or more persons or things of the same kind that differ in some way from one another: such as

a

: someone or something that exhibits variation from a type or norm

Scientists now find that a variant of a specific gene may contribute to the disorder …

—B. Bower

Ambient music, as it is sometimes called, was originally a variant of techno music without the beats.

—Neil Strauss

We played all kinds of weird and wacky poker variants, many involving wild cards …

—Anthony Holden

b

: one of two or more different spellings (such as labor and labour) or pronunciations (as of economics \ek-, ēk-\) of the same word

c

: one of two or more words (such as geographic and geographical) or word elements (such as mon- and mono-) of essentially the same meaning differing only in the presence or absence of an affix

Examples of variant in a Sentence

Adjective

variant strains of a disease

Noun

A new variant of the disease has appeared.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In December, 2021, a few weeks after the Omicron variant emerged to spark a new, punishing phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jim Lester’s birds got sick. —Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 5 May 2024

The album’s sales were supported by its availability across 17 different collectible CD packages, including exclusive variants for Barnes & Noble, Target and Walmart. —Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 3 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English variaunt, borrowed from Anglo-French variant, borrowed from Latin variant-, varians "variegated, various," from present participle of variāre "to make changeable, vary"

Noun

noun derivative of variant entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined at sense b

Phrases Containing variant

• delta variant
• new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• omicron variant
• variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Kids Definition

variant

1 of 2 adjective

vari·​ant

ˈver-ē-ənt,

ˈvar-

: differing from others of its kind or class

variant

2 of 2 noun

1

: an individual that shows variation from a type or norm

2

: one of two or more different spellings or pronunciations of the same word

Medical Definition

variant

1 of 2 adjective

var·​i·​ant ˈver-ē-ənt, ˈvar- 

: manifesting variety or deviation : varying usually slightly from a usual or standard form

variant forms of the disease

mutations resulting in a variant strain of the bacteria

variant

2 of 2 noun

: one that exhibits variation from a type, norm, or wild type : mutation

a less contagious variant of the virus

To date, nearly 60 genes have been evaluated to determine whether specific genetic variants may be associated with IBS [=irritable bowel syndrome].

—Yuri A. Saito, Gastroenterology Clinics of North America