variable
/ˈveərɪəbl; `vɛrɪəbl/ adj
1 varying; changeable 变化的; 可变的; 易变的
variable pressure, rainfall, weather, speed 变化不定的压力、 降雨量、 天气、 速度
Winds are mainly light and variable. 风力多微弱, 风向多变.
His mood/temper is variable. 他的情绪[脾气]反覆无常.
The quality of the hotel food is distinctly variable. 这个旅馆的饭菜有时很好有时很差.
2 (astronomy 天) (of a star) periodically varying in brightness （指星）亮度周期变化的. variable, n (often pl 常作复数) variable thing or quantity 可变的事物; 可变的量
With so many variables, the exact cost is difficult to estimate. 由於有许多可变因素, 很难准确地估算出成本.
Temperature was a variablein the experiment. 在该实验中温度是一个变量. Cf 参看 constant n.