What is Tandem Repeat, Variable?

Tandem arrays of moderately repetitive (5-50 repeats) short (10-60 bases) DNA sequences found dispersed throughout the genome and clustered near telomeres. Their degree of repetition is two to several hundred at each locus. Loci number in the thousands but each locus shows a distinctive repeat unit. Minisatellite repeats are often called variable number of tandem repeats.