Where does “variable” come from?

Variable comes from Old French variable, from Latin variāre meaning to change or differ, derived from Latin varius meaning diverse or varied.

variable (English): Able to vary or be varied; Likely to vary; Marked...

Definitions

  1. Able to vary or be varied; Likely to vary; Marked...

Ancestry of “variable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchvariable—
2Latinvariāre—
3Latinvariusdiverse, different, various, variegated
4Latinvārus—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wer-to lift up; to moisten; to flow; to raise, hang
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “variable”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wēr- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂wer- →