in-between variable
nounUK /ˌɪnbɪˈtwiːn ˈveəriəbl/
US /ˌɪnbɪˈtwiːn ˈveriəbl/
A thing in the middle that helps connect two other things.
In the experiment, the in-between variable showed how the medicine changed the body before it made people feel better.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A factor that explains how one thing causes another in research.
Sleep quality acted as an in-between variable between stress and test scores.
3. A hidden step in a chain of events that links a cause to its result.
The scientists looked for an in-between variable to explain why the two results were connected.
4. A middle factor used in statistics to show a link between two measured things.
The in-between variable helped the students see the connection between exercise and mood.