Glossary / Lexicon

Discrete variable is defined as a variable whose attributes are separate from one another, or discontinuous, as in the case of gender or religious affiliation. Contrast this with Continuous variable s, in which one attribute shades off into the next. Thus, in age (a continuous variable), the attributes progress steadily from 21 to 22 to 23, and so forth, whereas there is no progression from male to female in the case of gender.