Parameter: meaning, definitions and examples

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parameter

[ pəˈræmɪtər ]

^{Context #1}

mathematics

A quantity or constant whose value varies with other variables or circumstances.

Synonyms

element, factor, variable

Examples of usage

The parameter a in the equation y = ax + b represents the slope of the line.
In statistics, the parameter of a normal distribution is its mean and standard deviation.

^{Context #2}

computing

A piece of data passed to a subroutine or function for use as an argument.

Synonyms

argument, input, value

Examples of usage

The function takes two parameters, radius and height, to calculate the volume of a cylinder.
In programming, parameters are used to customize the behavior of functions.

^{Context #3}

linguistics

A linguistic element that contributes to the meaning of a sentence.

Synonyms

component, element, part

Examples of usage

In the sentence 'She runs quickly,' 'quickly' is an adverbial parameter.
Adjectives and adverbs are common parameters in language.

Translations

Translations of the word "parameter" in other languages:

🇵🇹 parâmetro

🇮🇳 पैरामीटर

🇩🇪 Parameter

🇮🇩 parameter

🇺🇦 параметр

🇵🇱 parametr

🇯🇵 パラメータ

🇫🇷 paramètre

🇪🇸 parámetro

🇹🇷 parametre

🇰🇷 매개변수

🇸🇦 معامل

🇨🇿 parametr

🇸🇰 parameter

🇨🇳 参数

🇸🇮 parameter

🇮🇸 breyta

🇰🇿 параметр

🇬🇪 პარამეტრი

🇦🇿 parametr

🇲🇽 parámetro

Word origin

The word 'parameter' originates from the Greek word 'parametros', which means 'alongside' or 'around'. It was first used in the field of mathematics to describe a variable that determines the characteristics of a system. Over time, the term has been adopted in various fields such as computing, linguistics, and statistics, with each discipline giving it a unique interpretation.