beta
IPA: bˈeɪtʌ
noun
- 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.
- (education, rare) An academic grade better than a gamma and worse than an alpha.
- (finance) Average sensitivity of a security's price to overall securities market prices.
- (computing, video games)
- (uncountable) The phase of development after alpha testing and before launch, in which software, while not complete, has been released to potential users for testing.
- (countable) Software in such a phase; a preliminary version.
- (proscribed, uncountable) Any kind of content from early development that was not used in the final product.
- (climbing) Information about a route which may aid someone in climbing it.
- (physics) A beta particle or beta ray.
- (aviation) Sideslip angle.
- (aviation) 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.
- (fandom slang) In omegaverse fiction, a person of a secondary sex similar to normal humans, lacking the biological drives of alphas and omegas but generally capable of bonding and mating with either.
- Betamax.
- Alternative spelling of betta (“fish in the genus Betta”) [Any fish of the genus Betta, especially Betta splendens (the Siamese fighting fish).]
- (slang, manosphere, masculism) Ellipsis of beta male, a man who is less competent or desirable than an alpha male. [A male second in a social or group hierarchy and submissive to the alpha male.]
verb
- (computing) To preliminarily release computer software for initial testing prior to final release.
- (chiefly Internet) To beta-read a text.
adjective
- Identifying a molecular position in an organic chemical compound.
- Designates the second in an order of precedence.
- (computing) Preliminary; prerelease. Refers to an incomplete version of a product released for initial testing.
- (of a person, object or action) Associated with the beta male/female archetype.
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Examples of "beta" in Sentences
- To be picky, the label is alpha, not beta.
- The definition of beta software varies by the vendor.
- Atavism Age was the first somewhat public beta phase.
- Biofeedback alerts the patient when beta waves are present.
- Cleavage of the precursor generates alpha and beta subunits.
- The Beta Club sponsors the contest annually during the fall.
- Ptolemy appears as the breakable block design of stage Beta 5.
- In 1985 succeeded the biochemical identification of amyloid beta.
- He is a member of the Alpha Chapter of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
- Specifically, beta glucans stimulate the innate branch of the immune system.
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