one of a number of auxiliary variables in terms of which all the variables in an implicit functional relationship can be explicitly expressed
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
Derived forms
parametric (ˌpærəˈmɛtrɪk) or parametrical (ˌparaˈmetrical)