beta

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

noun

1. the second letter of the Greek alphabet (β, B).
2. the consonant sound represented by the second letter of the Greek alphabet.
3. Beta, Astronomy. a star that is usually the second brightest of a constellation:

   The second brightest star in Taurus is Beta Tauri.

4. Chemistry.
   1. one of the possible positions of an atom or group in a compound.
   2. one of two or more isomeric compounds.
5. the second of any series, as in chemistry or physics.
6. Computers. the phase of hardware or software development in which a product is tested in the environment for which it was designed: beta test ( def 2 ).

   Our newest product, currently in beta with new features being added regularly, is perfect for busy professionals who need to organize their calendars.

7. Also called be·ta co·ef·fi·cient [bey, -t, uh, koh-, uh, -fish-, uh, nt, bee, -], 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.

8. Beta, Trademark. a brand of tape format for VCR tape, incompatible with other formats. Compare VHS.
9. Chiefly British. a grade showing that a student is in the middle or second of three scholastic sections in a class. Compare alpha ( def 8 ), gamma ( def 9 ).
10. beta male ( def ).

adjective

1. Computers. being, relating to, or undergoing the phase of product development in which a product is tested in the environment for which it was designed: beta test ( def 2 ).

   The beta version of the new game, featuring a four-player mode, will be unveiled next month.

2. 1. (of an animal) having the second-highest rank in a dominance hierarchy:

      the beta female in a pack of meerkats.

   2. Slang: Sometimes Disparaging. being or relating to a man who is perceived to be weak, mild-mannered, and unimpressive.

Beta

¹

/ ˈbiːtə /

noun

1. foll by the genitive case of a specified constellation a star in a constellation, usually the second brightest

   Beta Persei

beta

²

/ ˈbiːtə /

noun

1. the second letter in the Greek alphabet (Β, β), a consonant, transliterated as b
2. the second highest grade or mark, as in an examination
3. modifier
   1. involving or relating to electrons

      beta emitter

   2. relating to one of two or more allotropes or crystal structures of a solid

      beta iron

   3. relating to one of two or more isomeric forms of a chemical compound

Word History and Origins

Origin of beta¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin, from Greek bêta, from Phoenician bt “house,” also the name of the second letter of the Phoenician alphabet; beth

Word History and Origins

Origin of beta¹

from Greek bēta , from Hebrew; see beth

Example Sentences

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.

From TechCrunch

Recommendations, which were released as a closed beta in November, are now available globally.

From Search Engine Land

It is still in beta and even though Google has publicly announced it, it is not yet available to everyone.

From 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.

From MIT Technology Review

Google recently took the rich result test out of beta and announced it will deprecate the older structured data testing tool.

From Search Engine Land

Whether or not beta-version wearables are your thing, some technology is just impossible to ignore (or destroy).

From The Daily Beast

Trotter graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and became the first black man named to Phi Beta Kappa.

From The Daily Beast

For starters, the Ello beta launched without any privacy controls or blocking options.

From The 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.

From The Daily Beast

Dominating the research field is a protein called beta amyloid, identified by Alois Alzheimer in 1906.

From The Daily Beast

Acetone is derived from decomposition of diacetic acid, and this in turn from beta-oxybutyric acid by oxidation.

From Project Gutenberg

Beta is not formed from alpha; one is first, the other is second, and no one knows why.

From Project Gutenberg

We want to work out a substitute for Beta that will keep the flavor of the drink without the psycho-physiological effects.

From Project Gutenberg

Of course, it's very luxurious at Beta Phi House, but her little room here isn't to be scorned.

From Project Gutenberg

Radioactive atoms almost always decay by emitting negatively charged beta particles usually accompanied by gamma rays.

From Project Gutenberg