variation
Definitions
noun
The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing.
Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…]The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, and individual plants are highly heterozygous and do not breed true. In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better.
A related but distinct thing.
When the process didn't work, we tried a variation.
All of his soups are variations on a single recipe.
The angular difference at the vessel between the direction of true north and magnetic north.
A line of play that differs from the original.
A technique where material is repeated with alterations to the melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, texture, counterpoint or orchestration; but with some invariant characteristic, e.g. a ground bass.