English Online Dictionary. What means beta? What does beta mean?
English
Pronunciation
- (UK) enPR: bēʹtə, IPA(key): /ˈbiːtə/
- (US) enPR: bāʹtə, IPA(key): /ˈbeɪtə/, [ˈbeɪɾə]
- (Philippines) enPR: bĕʹtə, IPA(key): /ˈbɛtə/
- Rhymes: -iːtə, -eɪtə, (Philippines) -ɛtə
- Homophones: beater (UK, non-rhotic); baiter (US, non-rhotic)
Etymology 1
From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta). Doublet of beth.
Noun
beta (countable and uncountable, plural betas)
- 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.
- (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.
- (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.
- Alternative spelling of betta (“fish in the genus Betta”)
- (slang, manosphere, masculism) Ellipsis of beta male, a man who is less competent or desirable than an alpha male.
- (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.
- 2017, Marianne Gunderson, "What is an omega? Rewriting sex and gender in omegaverse fanfiction", thesis submitted to the University of Oslo, page 99:
- In ASD, the beta also functions as a contrast, as Yuri is assumed to be a beta before his first heat reveals his omega status.
Hyponyms
(unfinished software):
- closed beta
- open beta
- paid beta
- perpetual beta
- public beta
Coordinate terms
- (sideslip angle): alpha, gamma, theta
Derived terms
Translations
See also
- (Greek-script letter names) alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, theta, iota, kappa, lambda, mu, nu, xi, omicron, pi, rho, sigma, tau, upsilon, phi, chi, psi, omega
Adjective
beta (not comparable)
- 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.
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
beta (third-person singular simple present betas, present participle betaing, simple past and past participle betaed)
- (computing) To preliminarily release computer software for initial testing prior to final release.
- (chiefly Internet) To beta-read a text.
- 1999, sqira a., in alt.tv.x-files.creative [9]
- My thanks to Heather; who read it and betaed it. Thank you.
- 2000, Elizabeth Durack, quoted in Angelina I. Karpovich, “The Audience as Editor: The Role of Beta Readers in Online Fan Fiction Communities” (essay), in Karen Hellekson and Kristina Busse (editors), Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet, McFarland (2006), →ISBN, page 180,
- Beta’ing is time-consuming, so asking a lot of people to give you a detailed analysis isn’t the most polite thing to do.
- 2002, Jane Davitt, in alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer.creative [10]
- The next part is written and beta'd (thanks, Jen!), ready to go but <shuffles feet> I haven't even started what should be the final part yet.
- 2002, Karmen Ghia, in alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated [11]
- I had the honor of betaing this story and as I was doing the first read through I had the odd, but lovely, experience when a story suspends the reader in its own rhythm and flow, its own reality.
- 1999, sqira a., in alt.tv.x-files.creative [9]
Etymology 2
From Hindi बेटा (beṭā)
Noun
beta (countable and uncountable, plural betas)
- (India, Pakistan, colloquial) a term of endearment, used towards someone of equal or lower standing such as a friend or child, similar to brother or son
Anagrams
- Bate, Teba, abet, bate, beat
Ambonese Malay
Alternative forms
- bet, be
Etymology
From Classical Malay بيتا (beta, “I”).
Pronoun
beta
- I first-person singular pronoun
See also
References
- D. Takaria, C. Pieter (1998) Kamus Bahasa Melayu Ambon-Indonesia[12], Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa
Asturian
Etymology
From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Noun
beta f (plural betes)
- beta (Greek letter)
Catalan
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈbɛ.tə]
- IPA(key): (Valencia) [ˈbe.ta]
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Noun
beta f (plural betes)
- beta; the Greek letter Β (lowercase β)
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Occitan beta.
Noun
beta f (plural betes)
- boat; specifically a small, flat-bottom boat common to the coasts of Provence and Languedoc
Further reading
- “beta”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], 2007 April
Czech
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈbɛta]
Noun
beta n or f
- beta (Greek letter)
Declension
when feminine:
Indeclinable when neuter.
Faroese
Etymology
From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta), ultimately from Proto-Semitic *bayt- (“house”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈpeːʰta/
- Rhymes: -eːʰta
- Homophone: betað
Noun
beta n (genitive singular beta, plural betu)
- beta (Greek letter)
Declension
Derived terms
- betageisli m
- betageisling f
Galician
Etymology
From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Noun
beta m (plural betas)
- beta (Greek letter)
Guyanese Creole English
Noun
beta
- Alternative spelling of baytah (“son”)
References
- Henry, Edgar A. (2022) The Guyanese Slang Alphabet, Dorrance Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 41
Icelandic
Noun
beta f (genitive singular betu, nominative plural betur) or
beta n (genitive singular beta, nominative plural betu)
- beta (Greek letter)
Declension
Indonesian
Etymology 1
Inherited from Malay beta, possibly from Hindi बेटा (beṭā, “son”). Some linguists propose that this word is a native derivation due to the similarity in form with kita (“we (inclusive)”).
Pronunciation
- (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /ˈbeta/ [ˈbe.t̪a]
- Rhymes: -eta
- Syllabification: be‧ta
Noun
beta
- (dialectal) I, me, my
- Synonyms: aku, saya
Usage notes
The pronoun is obsolete in common use and limited in literature. It is also highly stereotypical of Maluku Islands (Moluccas) and East Nusa Tenggara.
References
- Adelaar, K. A. (1992) Proto-Malayic: The reconstruction of its phonology and parts of its lexicon and morphology[13], Canberra: The Australian National University
Etymology 2
From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Pronunciation
- (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /ˈbeta/ [ˈbe.t̪a]
- Rhymes: -eta
- Syllabification: be‧ta
Noun
beta (plural beta-beta)
- beta (second letter of the Greek alphabet)
Etymology 3
Pronunciation
- (Standard Indonesian)
- IPA(key): /bəˈta/ [bəˈt̪a]
- Rhymes: -a
- IPA(key): /ˈbeta/ [ˈbe.t̪a]
- Rhymes: -eta
- IPA(key): /bəˈta/ [bəˈt̪a]
- Syllabification: be‧ta
Noun
bêta or beta
- abbreviation of benda terbang aneh (“unidentified flying object”).
Further reading
- “beta” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.
Italian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbɛ.ta/
- Rhymes: -ɛta
- Hyphenation: bè‧ta
Etymology 1
From Latin bēta, from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Noun
beta f (invariable)
- the name of the Greek script letter Β/β; beta
- (computing) beta (software version)
Derived terms
- betacismo
Related terms
- bet
Etymology 2
From Latin bēta (“beet”), from Celtic.
Noun
beta f (plural bete)
- Alternative form of bieta; beet
Anagrams
- beat, tabe
Jamaican Creole
Adjective
beta
- comparative degree of gud: better
Japanese
Romanization
beta
- Rōmaji transcription of ベタ
Latin
Etymology 1
Said by some sources to be of Celtic origin, but no obvious Celtic cognates exist; Ernout and Meillet adduce an apparently apocryphal Irish biatuis as cognate. Also compared are blitum (“spinach”), meta (“conic heap of stones”) (compared to the root's spindle form), and less likely, sense 2, with the seed vessel resembling the letter.
Noun
bēta f (genitive bētae); first declension
- A beet.
Declension
First-declension noun.
Descendants
Etymology 2
From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Noun
bēta n (indeclinable)
- The Greek letter beta.
References
Further reading
- “beta”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “beta”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- "beta", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
- Roberts, Edward A. (2014) A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Spanish Language with Families of Words based on Indo-European Roots, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN
- Berti-Pichat (1866)
- Baxter (1837)
- Poiret (1827)
- von Lippmann (1925)
- Geschwind & Sellier (1902)
- Pabst (1887)
- Becker-Dillengen (1928)
- Biancardi, Panella & Lewellen (2011): Beta maritima: The Origin of Beets
Malay
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
- (Johor-Selangor) IPA(key): /betə/
- (Riau-Lingga) IPA(key): /beta/
- Rhymes: -etə, -tə, -ə
Pronoun
beta (Jawi spelling بيتا)
- (Palace Malay) I, me, my (exclusive use in royalty, subject is either king or queen)
See also
- aku
- saya
- patik
Noun
beta (Jawi spelling بيتا, plural beta-beta)
- beta (second letter of the Greek alphabet)
Nigerian Pidgin
Etymology
From English better.
Adjective
beta
- good; better
Old Irish
Alternative forms
- bete
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbʲeda/
Verb
beta
- third-person plural present subjunctive relative of is
- c. 845, St Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 207b11
- c. 845, St Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 207b11
Polish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbɛ.ta/
- Rhymes: -ɛta
- Syllabification: be‧ta
Etymology 1
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta), from Phoenician 𐤁 (b /bēt/).
Noun
beta f
- beta (Greek letter Β, β)
Declension
Derived terms
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Noun
beta m inan
- genitive/accusative singular of bet
Further reading
- beta in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- beta in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Portuguese
Pronunciation
- Hyphenation: be‧ta
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Latin beta, from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Noun
beta f (plural betas)
- beta (all senses)
Etymology 2
Noun
beta f (plural betas)
- beet (plant)
Etymology 3
Verb
beta
- inflection of betar:
- third-person singular present indicative
- second-person singular imperative
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French bêta.
Noun
beta m (plural beta)
- beta (Greek letter)
Declension
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bêta/
- Hyphenation: be‧ta
Noun
bȅta f (Cyrillic spelling бе̏та)
- beta, the Greek letter, Β, β
Declension
Slovak
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈbeta]
Noun
beta f (genitive singular bety, nominative plural bety, genitive plural biet, declension pattern of žena) OR
beta n
- beta (Greek letter)
Usage notes
- When used in the neuter gender, the word is not declined.
Declension
References
- “beta”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta) ultimately from Proto-Semitic *bayt- (“house”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbeta/ [ˈbe.t̪a]
- Rhymes: -eta
- Syllabification: be‧ta
- Homophone: veta
Noun
beta f (plural betas)
- beta; the Greek letter Β, β
Derived terms
Further reading
- “beta”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10
Swedish
Etymology 1
Latin bēta, from Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta).
Noun
beta n or c
- beta; the Greek letter Β, β
- (computing) a beta version of a program
- (slang) short for minnesbeta
Declension
Verb
beta (present betar, preterite betade, supine betat, imperative beta)
- to test software prior to release
Conjugation
Etymology 2
Ultimately from Latin bēta (“beet”).
Noun
beta c
- beetroot
Declension
Etymology 3
bete + -a
Verb
beta (present betar, preterite betade, supine betat, imperative beta)
- to graze; to eat grass; to feed on growing herbage.
Conjugation
See also
- beta av
- bete
Etymology 4
Clipping of betaga; be- + ta. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bɛˈtɑː/
Verb
beta (present betar, preterite betog, supine betagit, imperative beta)
- to steal
Conjugation
References
- beta in Svensk ordbok (SO)
- beta in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
- beta in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)