beta

[ bey-tuh or, especially British, bee- ]

/ ˈbeɪ tə or, especially British, ˈbi- /

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See synonyms for: beta / betas on Thesaurus.com

noun

the second letter of the Greek alphabet (β, B).

the consonant sound represented by this letter.

Beta, Astronomy. a star that is usually the second brightest of a constellation: The second brightest star in Taurus is Beta Tauri.

Chemistry.

one of the possible positions of an atom or group in a compound.
one of two or more isomeric compounds.

the second of any series, as in chemistry or physics.

Also called beta coefficient, beta line. Stock Exchange. an arbitrary measure of the volatility of a given stock using an index of the volatility of the market as a whole: A beta of 1.1 indicates a stock that is 10 percent more volatile than the market.

Beta, Trademark. a brand of tape format for VCR tape, incompatible with other formats.Compare VHS.

Chiefly British. a grade showing that a student is in the middle or second of three scholastic sections in a class.Compare alpha (def. 7), gamma (def. 9).

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of beta

From Latin, from Greek bêta, from Semitic; compare Hebrew bēth beth

Words nearby beta

stuck on, be, bestud, subject to, be, sweet on, be, bet, beta, beta-adrenergic, beta blocker, beta brass, Betacam, beta carotene

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use beta in a sentence

Here are a few reasons why that is and why I believe GPT-3, a beta version of which was recently released by the OpenAI Foundation, might be a game changer in legal and other knowledge-focused organizations.
What does GPT-3 mean for the future of the legal profession?|Walter Thompson|August 28, 2020|TechCrunch
Recommendations, which were released as a closed beta in November, are now available globally.
Microsoft Advertising Editor gets updated with recommendations and campaign-level targeting|George Nguyen|August 19, 2020|Search Engine Land
It is still in beta and even though Google has publicly announced it, it is not yet available to everyone.
Google Search Console Insights for content creators|Barry Schwartz|August 17, 2020|Search Engine Land
Instead, it gave the algorithm to select researchers who applied for a private beta, with the goal of gathering their feedback and commercializing the technology by the end of the year.
A college kid’s fake, AI-generated blog fooled tens of thousands. This is how he made it.|Karen Hao|August 14, 2020|MIT Technology Review

Google recently took the rich result test out of beta and announced it will deprecate the older structured data testing tool.
Google rich results test tool adds support for article structured data|Barry Schwartz|August 10, 2020|Search Engine Land
Whether or not beta-version wearables are your thing, some technology is just impossible to ignore (or destroy).
Why Every Home Needs a Drone This Holiday|Charlie Gilbert|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Trotter graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and became the first black man named to Phi Beta Kappa.
The Fight to Ban ‘Birth of a Nation’|Jack Schwartz|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For starters, the Ello beta launched without any privacy controls or blocking options.
Ello, Is It You We’re Looking For?|Samantha Allen|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Beta amyloid, which OL-1 is meant to lower, was first implicated in the disease at its identification by Alois Alzheimer in 1906.
Trial Drug Reverses Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice|Elizabeth Lopatto|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dominating the research field is a protein called beta amyloid, identified by Alois Alzheimer in 1906.
Twenty Years of Alzheimer’s Research May Have Focused on the Wrong Protein|Elizabeth Lopatto|April 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Acetone is derived from decomposition of diacetic acid, and this in turn from beta-oxybutyric acid by oxidation.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Beta is not formed from alpha; one is first, the other is second, and no one knows why.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 1 (of 10)|Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)
We want to work out a substitute for Beta that will keep the flavor of the drink without the psycho-physiological effects.
Hunter Patrol|Henry Beam Piper and John J. McGuire
Of course, it's very luxurious at Beta Phi House, but her little room here isn't to be scorned.
Molly Brown's Sophomore Days|Nell Speed
Radioactive atoms almost always decay by emitting negatively charged beta particles usually accompanied by gamma rays.
The Atomic Fingerprint|Bernard Keisch

British Dictionary definitions for beta (1 of 2)

beta

/ (ˈbiːtə) /

noun

the second letter in the Greek alphabet (Β, β), a consonant, transliterated as b

the second highest grade or mark, as in an examination

(modifier)

involving or relating to electronsbeta emitter
relating to one of two or more allotropes or crystal structures of a solidbeta iron
relating to one of two or more isomeric forms of a chemical compound

Word Origin for beta

from Greek bēta, from Hebrew; see beth

British Dictionary definitions for beta (2 of 2)

Beta

/ (ˈbiːtə) /

noun

(foll by the genitive case of a specified constellation) a star in a constellation, usually the second brightestBeta Persei

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

beta

Origin of beta

Words nearby beta

Words related to beta

How to use beta in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for beta (1 of 2)

Word Origin for beta

British Dictionary definitions for beta (2 of 2)