parameter

[ puh-ram-i-ter ]

noun

1. Mathematics.
   1. 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 ).
   2. one of the independent variables in a set of parametric equations.
2. Statistics. a variable entering into the mathematical form of any distribution such that the possible values of the variable correspond to different distributions.
3. Computers. a variable that must be given a specific value during the execution of a program or of a procedure within a program.
4. Usually parameters. limits or boundaries; guidelines:

   the basic parameters of our foreign policy.

5. characteristic or factor; aspect; element:

   a useful parameter for judging long-term success.

parameter

/ pəˈræmɪtə; ˌpærəˈmɛtrɪk /

noun

1. one of a number of auxiliary variables in terms of which all the variables in an implicit functional relationship can be explicitly expressed See parametric equations
2. 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
3. statistics a characteristic of the distribution of a population, such as its mean, as distinct from that of a sample Compare statistic
4. informal.
   any constant or limiting factor

   a designer must work within the parameters of budget and practicality

parameter

1. A quantity or number on which some other quantity or number depends. An informal example is, “Depending on the traffic, it takes me between twenty minutes and an hour to drive to work”; here, “traffic” is the parameter that determines the time it takes to get to work. In statistics , a parameter is an unknown characteristic of a population — for example, the number of women in a particular precinct who will vote Democratic.

Usage Note

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.

Notes

The term is often mistakenly used to refer to the limits of possible values a variable can have because of confusion with the word perimeter .

Derived Forms

• parametric, adjective

Other Words From

• par·a·met·ric [par-, uh, -, me, -trik], par·a·met·ri·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of parameter¹

From the New Latin word parametrum, dating back to 1650–60; para- ¹, -meter

Word History and Origins

Origin of parameter¹

C17: from New Latin; see para- ¹, -meter

Example Sentences

The conventional wisdom has it that, thanks to production delays caused by the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, the pickings are slim this year, which is true provided you adhere to a narrow parameter of what defines a movie or performance being “Oscar-worthy.”

From Los Angeles Times

Eric Vilain, a clinician and the director of the Center for Gender-Based Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles, told Scientific American that "since there is not one biological parameter that takes over every other parameter, at the end of the day, gender identity seems to be the most reasonable parameter."

From Salon

Employing these techniques allowed the team to tune the parameter values to obtain maximum power generation from their PVDF/PU nanofibers.

From Science Daily

A parameter is an element of a model that can be changed.

From Salon

Each parameter has a value, or setting, that the model derives from the training data.

From Salon

Related Words

• criterion
• framework
• guideline
• restriction
• specification