parameter

American  

[puh-ram-i-ter] / pəˈræm ɪ tər /

noun

• parameters
  plural

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.

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parameter British  

/ pəˈræmɪtə /

noun

1. 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. 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

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parameter Cultural  

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.

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Usage

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.

Discover More

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• parametric
  adjective
• parametrical
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• parameters
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of parameter

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

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Explanation

A parameter is a limit. In mathematics a parameter is a constant in an equation, but parameter isn’t just for math anymore: now any system can have parameters that define its operation. You can set parameters for your class debate. Parameter comes from a combination of the Greek word para-, meaning “beside,” and metron, meaning “measure.” The natural world sets certain parameters, like gravity and time. In court, the law defines the parameters of legal behavior. Parameter and perimeter are similar, but a perimeter is the physical distance around an object, while a parameter can contain or define something either physically or abstractly.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

parameter parameters

Then, pick activities that fit within that parameter.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

In a notice in the Federal Register published Friday, BIS said the rule eliminates wind gust tolerance as a control parameter and removes national security licensing requirements for drones with capabilities lasting under three hours.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

“The exchange rate is not a trigger parameter for the ECB.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 2, 2026

This parameter controls how predictable or adventurous the generated responses are.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 25, 2026

So they use parameter to mean a boundary, a characteristic, a component, an element, a feature, an ingredient, a part, a perimeter, a quality, or a requirement.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Amendment PRK would double the minimum amount of money set aside for the Department of Recreation and Parks by reworking the parameters of the city budget.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

There has never been an opportunity to ask Wilcox about the parameters of his role.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

While I want to caution against putting our unquestioned trust and faith in any shiny new “magic bullet,” it is clear that, within certain parameters, specialized AI programs can detect early signs of disease.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

For more than 100 years, scientists have used a system based on Atwater parameters to estimate how much energy people can obtain from food.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

If Minya had gotten Skathis’s power, she wondered, would she be any different from him, or would she willingly subjugate a whole population, and justify it all within the rigid parameters of justice.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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Related Words

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