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 …

—Bruce 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

Having one copy of the APOE4 variant may double or triple the chance of developing Alzheimer’s, while having two copies may raise risk by tenfold or more. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

The Chinese variant actually stimulates economic activity as corrupt officials sell the rights to monetize unproductive state assets to private enterprises. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 July 2026

Recent large-scale studies have identified variants of about 40 genes that each slightly elevate the chances of left-handedness. — Quanta Magazine, 13 July 2026

When a disease-causing variant turns up, the rest of the family can be tested for that exact variant. — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026

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

Rhymes for variant

• aperient
• covariant
• invariant

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