- one of a number of auxiliary variables in terms of which all the variables in an implicit functional relationship can be explicitly expressed
- a variable whose behaviour is not being considered and which may for present purposes be regarded as a constant, as y in the partial derivative ∂f(x,y)/∂x
- a characteristic of the distribution of a population, such as its mean, as distinct from that of a sample
Compare statistic - informal any constant or limiting factor: a designer must work within the parameters of budget and practicality
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pa•ram•e•ter /pəˈræmɪtɚ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Usually, parameters. [plural] limits or boundaries;
guidelines:Let's try to keep within the parameters of the discussion. - something that helps one measure or determine how good, useful, worthwhile, etc., something else is;
factor:Stock prices during a recession are a useful parameter for judging long-term success.
pa•ram•e•ter
(pə ram′i tər),USA pronunciation n.
par•a•met•ric
(par′ə me′trik),USA pronunciation par′a•met′ri•cal, adj.
- Mathematics
- a constant or variable term in a function that determines the specific form of the function but not its general nature, as a in f(x) = ax, where a determines only the slope of the line described by f(x).
- one of the independent variables in a set of parametric equations.
- Statisticsa variable entering into the mathematical form of any distribution such that the possible values of the variable correspond to different distributions.
- Computinga variable that must be given a specific value during the execution of a program or of a procedure within a program.
- Usually, parameters. limits or boundaries; guidelines:the basic parameters of our foreign policy.
- characteristic or factor;
aspect;
element:a useful parameter for judging long-term success.
- Neo-Latin parametrum. See para-1, -meter
- 1650–60
- 4. 5. Some object strongly to the use of parameter in these newer senses. Nevertheless, the criticized uses are now well established both in educated speech and in edited writing.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
parameter /pəˈræmɪtə/ n
'parameter' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
chi-square distribution
- estimate
- estimator
- exponential distribution
- gamma distribution
- para-
- parametric amplifier
- sampling statistic
- signal
- signal-to-noise ratio
- statistic
- family
- family of curves
- impact parameter
- interval estimation
- lattice constant
- Malthusian parameter
- parameterize
- point estimation
- population parameter
- R, r
- uniform