variability

[vair-ee-uh-bil-i-tee]

noun

1. the quality of being subject to change, especially frequent, random, or short-term change: Ensuring effective cooperation in home care is difficult because of the variability of schedules and tasks of both patients and caregivers.

   On a longer time scale, climate variability translates into shortages of food and water worldwide.

   Ensuring effective cooperation in home care is difficult because of the variability of schedules and tasks of both patients and caregivers.

2. the quality of including different kinds, or of being different from one case to the other; diversity.

   Healthcare administrators noted the variability among nursing education programs and called for standardization.

Other Word Forms

• hypervariability noun
• nonvariability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of variability¹

variable ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

This is mainly due to the variability of the extracts and the fact that each person behaves differently.

Read more on Science Daily

While there are clear guidelines as to what you are looking for, Dr Wong says there is still a lot of variability.

Read more on BBC

Like heatwaves on land, sea temperatures are affected by natural variability and short-term weather.

Read more on BBC

That's why the country's climate is so changeable and that variability also makes mapping some climate changes more difficult.

Read more on BBC

But the way the teams have prepared their cars for the race adds extra potential for variability.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• anxiety 
• fluctuation 
• insecurity 
• uncertainty 
• volatility 
• vulnerability 
• weakness