parameter: Meaning and Definition of

pa•ram•e•ter

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. a variable entering into the mathematical form of any distribution such that the possible values of the variable correspond to different distributions.
3. a variable that must be given a specific value during the execution of a program or of a procedure within a program.
4. Usually,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.