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betta

American  
[bet-uh] / ˈbɛt ə /

betta British  
/ ˈbɛtə /

noun

  1. another name for fighting fish

"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

Etymology

Origin of betta

1925–30; < New Latin < ?


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

As in most of the director’s movies, the characters behave like preening betta fish.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Claudius lives on in our newsroom as a well-fed betta fish.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025

At first she kept every angelfish, betta and gourami.

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2023

Petqua, a pet store on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, is now the temporary home of two guinea pigs, three turtles and a tiny school of betta fish, all recently relinquished by their owners.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 1, 2022

"Boy, you betta get your behind on up to that school."

From "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone

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