fluctuation

American  

[fluhk-choo-ey-shuhn] / ˌflʌk tʃuˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

• fluctuations
  plural

1. continual change from one point or condition to another.

2. wavelike motion; undulation.

3. Genetics. a body variation due to environmental factors and not inherited.

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fluctuation British  

/ ˌflʌktjʊˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. constant change; vacillation; instability

2. undulation

3. a variation in an animal or plant that is determined by environment rather than heredity

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Usage

What does fluctuation mean? Fluctuation is continual change. It’s a noun form of the verb fluctuate, meaning to continually change or shift back and forth. Fluctuation is most commonly used in the context of abstract or intangible things that frequently change, such as temperature, the stock market, or someone’s mood. Example: The fluctuation of the volume on my TV is really annoying—it gets louder during commercials and then it gets quiet again when the show comes back on.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonfluctuation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fluctuations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fluctuation

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin fluctuātiōn- (stem of fluctuātiō ) a fluctuation, wavering. See fluctuate, -ion

Explanation

The noun fluctuation refers to the deviations along the path from one point to another. We see frequent fluctuations in the stock market, as prices go up or down, and also in the weather, which is always changing. The original form of the word fluctuation appeared as a mid-15th-century French word derived from the Latin fluctuationem, meaning "vacillation." The verb stem fluctuāre meant "to undulate," referring to waves, giving rise to the idea of change and movement that is at the heart of the word. It might help to remember that fluctuation has the same root as the word fluent, and to think of it as something flowing, with frequent change along the way.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fluctuation fluctuations

But at the start, progress comes faster and in bigger steps, and that explains the fluctuation in form between the top teams so far this season.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

They do not predict every short-term fluctuation perfectly, but they help scientists evaluate long-term climate patterns and possible future changes.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

Finally, the El Nino event, a natural climate fluctuation that warms temperatures and leads to changes in wind patterns, is proving stronger than expected this year.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

An actuarial approach, dividing a portfolio by remaining life expectancy, can be used but introduces too much spending fluctuation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

The computer reported no change in pressure over that time, other than a minor fluctuation based on temperature.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

That is to protect the grid which has a limit on the amount of renewable energy it can carry due to fluctuations.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

The Bank of Japan intervenes in the market under the instruction of the ministry to ease economic damage from sharp fluctuations in exchange rates.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

However, he noted, volume growth through July 21 was up 9%, a slowdown from June, due to fuel-cost fluctuations and the timing of big summer-deal events.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

“It has had a very successful run, a high rate of growth, it’s not as subject to the fluctuations of the business cycle as maybe other things are.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

It may be that our universe is simply one of many fluctuations.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Related Words

• variation