noun
Uncommon
variance
VEH-uh-ree-uhns
Variance (noun) means a difference between what was expected and what actually happened. Example: “The accountant flagged a variance between the budget and the actual spend.”
noun
1
A difference between what was expected and what actually happened.
"The accountant flagged a variance between the budget and the actual spend."
2
The state of disagreeing or being in conflict.
"The two witnesses' accounts were at variance with each other."
3
Official permission to do something that would normally break a rule or regulation.
"The homeowner applied for a variance to build closer to the property line than zoning allows."
4
In statistics, a measure of how spread out a set of values is, calculated as the square of the standard deviation.
"A low variance means most of the data points sit close to the average."
How to use variance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVariance is a gap between things — between plan and reality, between two accounts, or, in statistics, a measure of how much data spreads out.
Common pairings
at variance with
zoning variance
statistical variance
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Word forms
- Plural
- variances
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The accountant flagged a _____ between the budget and the actual spend.
Etymology
From Old French variance, ultimately from Latin variantia, related to variare, "to change."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for variance
See all rhymes for variance →Frequently asked questions
What does “variance” mean?
The word “variance” means a difference between what was expected and what actually happened. In plain terms, variance is a gap between things — between plan and reality, between two accounts, or, in statistics, a measure of how much data spreads out.
How do you pronounce “variance”?
“Variance” is pronounced VEH-uh-ree-uhns (/ˈvæɹ.i.əns/ in IPA).
How do you use “variance” in a sentence?
Here is “variance” used in a sentence: “The accountant flagged a variance between the budget and the actual spend.”
What part of speech is “variance”?
“Variance” is a noun.
Where does the word “variance” come from?
The word “variance” comes from Latin. From Old French variance, ultimately from Latin variantia, related to variare, "to change.".
Is “variance” a common word?
“Variance” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “variance” have?
“Variance” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a difference between what was expected and what actually happened.
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