Which term describes the variation in delay for packets in a network?

The term that describes the variation in delay for packets in a network is jitter. Jitter refers specifically to the irregular or inconsistent delays in the transmission of packets over a network. This can result from various factors, including network congestion, route changes, or timing issues during transmission. In real-time applications such as video calls or online gaming, high jitter can significantly impact the quality of the experience, leading to choppy audio or video.

While latency refers to the overall delay in sending and receiving packets, it does not encompass the variability aspect that jitter specifically addresses. Bandwidth measures the maximum data transfer rate of a network and is not related to delays, whereas throughput refers to the actual rate at which data is successfully sent or received over a network but also does not capture delay variations. Thus, jitter is the most accurate term for describing the inconsistency in packet delay.