1. The quality or degree of being subject to variation
   "The variance of stock prices keeps investors on their toes";
   - variability, variableness
    
2. A difference between conflicting facts, claims or opinions
   "a growing variance of opinion";
   - discrepancy, disagreement, divergence
    
3. (statistics) the second moment around the mean; the expected value of the square of the deviations of a random variable from its mean value
   "A high variance indicates that the data points are spread out over a wider range"
    
4. An activity that varies from a norm or standard
   "any variance in his routine was immediately reported";
   - variation
    
5. An event that departs from expectations
   "The auditor noticed a variance in the financial records";
   - discrepancy, variant
    
6. Discord that splits a group
   "There was significant variance in opinion among the committee members";
   - division
    
7. An official dispensation to act contrary to a rule or regulation (typically a building regulation)
   "a zoning variance"

Sounds like: vaper, vapour, riance, va

Derived forms: variances

Type of: activity, changeability, changeableness, departure, deviation, difference, disagreement, discord, dispensation, dissension, dissonance, divergence, moment

Encyclopedia: Variance