parameter

[ puh-ram-i-ter ]

noun

1. Mathematics.
   1. a constant or variable term in a function that determines the specific form of the function but not its general nature, as a in f ( x ) = ax, where a determines only the slope of the line described by f ( x ).
   2. one of the independent variables in a set of parametric equations.
2. Statistics. a variable entering into the mathematical form of any distribution such that the possible values of the variable correspond to different distributions.
3. Computers. a variable that must be given a specific value during the execution of a program or of a procedure within a program.
4. Usually parameters. limits or boundaries; guidelines:

   the basic parameters of our foreign policy.

5. characteristic or factor; aspect; element:

   a useful parameter for judging long-term success.

parameter

/ ˌpærəˈmɛtrɪk; pəˈræmɪtə /

noun

1. See parametric equations
   one of a number of auxiliary variables in terms of which all the variables in an implicit functional relationship can be explicitly expressed See parametric equations
2. a variable whose behaviour is not being considered and which may for present purposes be regarded as a constant, as y in the partial derivative ∂f( x,y )/∂ x
3. See statistic
   statistics a characteristic of the distribution of a population, such as its mean, as distinct from that of a sample Compare statistic
4. informal.
   any constant or limiting factor

   a designer must work within the parameters of budget and practicality

parameter

1. A quantity or number on which some other quantity or number depends. An informal example is, “Depending on the traffic, it takes me between twenty minutes and an hour to drive to work”; here, “traffic” is the parameter that determines the time it takes to get to work. In statistics , a parameter is an unknown characteristic of a population — for example, the number of women in a particular precinct who will vote Democratic.

Usage Note

Some object strongly to the use of parameter in these newer senses. Nevertheless, the criticized uses are now well established both in educated speech and in edited writing.

Notes

The term is often mistakenly used to refer to the limits of possible values a variable can have because of confusion with the word perimeter .

Derived Forms

• parametric, adjective

Other Words From

• par·a·met·ric [par-, uh, -, me, -trik], par·a·met·ri·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of parameter¹

From the New Latin word parametrum, dating back to 1650–60; para- ¹, -meter

Word History and Origins

Origin of parameter¹

C17: from New Latin; see para- ¹, -meter

Example Sentences

The new initiative, Exposure Notifications Express, will let public health authorities submit parameters for contact tracing to Apple and Google.

From Fortune

The ranking of your app in various top charts by categories or by parameters such as Free, Premium, and others.

From Search Engine Watch

The AdSense API will be upgraded in 2021 with more parameters and signals.

From Search Engine Land

Thirty years ago, Corrádi and Szabó proved that mathematicians can use this procedure to address Keller’s conjecture in any dimension by adjusting the parameters of the experiment.

From Quanta Magazine

This growth is in part due to the number of parameters used in each model.

From Singularity Hub 

The size and shape of Laniakea depend on the rate of cosmic expansion, which is described by the Hubble parameter.

From The Daily Beast

There has to be more than one parameter than happiness to examine your life.

From The Daily Beast

They cover a surface, and the equation of the surface is obtained by eliminating the parameter between the two equations.

From Project Gutenberg

This is with regard to time—I don't know whether that is the right parameter in which you wished to study it, Senator.

From Project Gutenberg

Is it an inherent parameter or an expressly transcendent one?

From Project Gutenberg

A considerable amount of variation in this parameter was found in all of the taxa (Table 5).

From Project Gutenberg

The two subspecies of H. microcephala agree more closely in this parameter than in fundamental frequency.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• criterion
• framework
• guideline
• restriction
• specification