English Explanatory Dictionary

beta

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β), preceded by alpha (Α, α) and followed by gamma, (Γ, γ). In modern Greek it represents the voiced labiodental fricative sound of v found in the English words have and vase.
  2. An academic grade better than a gamma and worse than an alpha.
  3. Average sensitivity of a security's price to overall securities market prices.
  4. The phase of development after alpha testing and before launch, in which software, while not complete, has been released to potential users for testing.
  5. Software in such a phase; a preliminary version.
  6. Any kind of content from early development that was not used in the final product.
  7. Information about a route which may aid someone in climbing it.
  8. A beta particle or beta ray.
  9. Sideslip angle.
  10. The range of engine power settings in which the blade pitch angle of a constant-speed propeller is controlled directly by the angle of the engine's throttle lever (rather than varying with engine torque and airspeed to maintain a constant propeller RPM), allowing the propeller to be disked to generate high drag and slow the aircraft quickly.
  11. Alternative spelling of betta (“fish in the genus Betta”).
  12. Ellipsis of beta male, a man who is less competent or desirable than an alpha male.
adj
  1. Identifying a molecular position in an organic chemical compound.
  2. Designates the second in an order of precedence.
  3. Preliminary; prerelease. Refers to an incomplete version of a product released for initial testing.
  4. Associated with the beta male/female archetype.
verb
  1. To preliminarily release computer software for initial testing prior to final release.
  2. To beta-read a text.
noun
  1. a term of endearment, used towards someone of equal or lower standing such as a friend or child, similar to brother or son
name
  1. Clipping of Betamax
noun
  1. A member of Generation Beta.

Pronunciation

bēʹtə /ˈbiːtə/ bāʹtə /ˈbeɪtə/ [ˈbeɪɾə] bēʹtä bāʹtä /ˈbiʈɑ/ /ˈbeʈɑ/ bĕʹtə /ˈbɛtə/ En-us-beta.ogg

Word forms

beta betas betaing betaed

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Semitic *bayt- Phoenician 𐤁𐤕 (bt)bor. Ancient Greek βῆτᾰ (bêtă)bor. English beta From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta). Doublet of beth.

Synonyms

Gen Beta Generation Beta

Derived words

alpha-beta filter alphabetagamma alpha-beta pruning alternative beta amyloid-beta amyloid beta Becrux beta-antithrombin beta-beam beta blockade betabux betacetylmethadol beta chain beta city beta-compactification beta distribution beta error beta female beta fish beta function beta-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin beta iron betaish beta-lactamase beta-lactamic betalight beta-lipoprotein beta male betameprodine betamethadol betamethasone betamimetic beta movement beta-naphthol beta orbiter beta-pinene beta-pleated sheet betaprodine betaproteobacterium beta quartz beta reduce beta reduction beta-sitosterol beta test beta-test beta tester beta testing beta-thalassemia betathromboglobulin betatron betavoltaic betavoltaics betaware labetalol machete beta metallo-beta-lactamase New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 nonbeta region-beta paradox smart beta

Translations

Bulgarian: бе́та Dutch: bèta Esperanto: beta Finnish: beeta French: bêta Georgian: ბეტა Greek: βήτα Hebrew: בֵּיתָא Interlingua: beta Italian: beta Japanese: ベータ Korean: 베타 Persian: بتا Polish: beta Portuguese: beta Russian: бе́та Spanish: beta Swedish: beta Vietnamese: bêta
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