vary
pronunciation
How to pronounce vary in British English:
UK [ˈveəri]
How to pronounce vary in American English:
US [ˈveri]
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- Verb:
- make or become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
- be at variance with; be out of line with
- be subject to change in accordance with a variable
- make something more diverse and varied
Word Origin
- vary
- vary: [14] Latin varius meant ‘speckled, variegated, changeable’ (it gave English various [16], and may have been related to Latin vārus ‘bent, crooked, knock-kneed’, source of English prevaricate). It had a range of derivatives, which have given English variable [14], variance [14], variant [14], variegate [17], variety [16], variola ‘smallpox’ [18] (which retains the original notion of ‘speckling’), and vary.=> prevaricate, variegate, variety, variola, various
- vary (v.)
- mid-14c. (transitive); late 14c. (intransitive), from Old French variier "be changed, go astray; change, alter, transform" and directly from Latin variare "change, alter, make different," from varius "varied, different, spotted;" perhaps related to varus "bent, crooked, knock-kneed," and varix "varicose vein," from a PIE root *wer- (1) "high raised spot or other bodily infirmity" (cognates: Old English wearte "wart," Swedish varbulde "pus swelling," Latin verruca "wart"). Related: Varied; varying.
Example
- 1. And the answer must vary with these presumed circumstances .
- 2. Their mistakes vary , but two sorts stand out .
- 3. Customers enjoy choice , and their tastes vary .
- 4. Prices vary , but screenplay registration is typically around 20 dollars per script .
- 5. One day , carbon prices will vary greatly between countries .