Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Variant \Va"ri*ant\, a. [L. varians, p. pr. of variare to
   change: cf. F. variant. See {Vary}.]
   1. Varying in from, character, or the like; variable;
      different; diverse.

   2. Changeable; changing; fickle. [Obs.]

            He is variant, he abit [abides] nowhere. --Chaucer.

Variant \Va"ri*ant\, n. [Cf. F. variante.]
   Something which differs in form from another thing, though
   really the same; as, a variant from a type in natural
   history; a variant of a story or a word.

Source : WordNet®

variant
     adj : differing from a norm or standard; "a variant spelling"
     n 1: an event that departs from expectations [syn: {discrepancy},
           {variance}]
     2: (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ
        in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of
        microorganisms" [syn: {form}, {strain}, {var.}]
     3: a variable quantity that is random [syn: {random variable},
        {variate}, {stochastic variable}, {chance variable}]
     4: something a little different from others of the same type;
        "an experimental version of the night fighter"; "an emery
        wheel is a modern variant of the grindstone"; "the boy is
        a younger edition of his father" [syn: {version}, {variation},
         {edition}]