beta

1 of 2

noun

be·​ta ˈbā-tə 

chiefly British

ˈbē- 

plural betas

1

: the 2nd letter of the Greek alphabet see Alphabet Table

2

: something or someone designated with the name beta or the Greek letter β especially denoting the second in position, order, or class

3

: a nearly complete prototype of a product (such as software)

the beta version

also : a stage of development in which a product is nearly complete but not yet ready for release

The app is still in beta.

4

: beta particle

beta emissions

5

: a measure of the risk potential of a stock or an investment portfolio expressed as a ratio of the stock's or portfolio's volatility to the volatility of the market as a whole

Beta measures a stock's price volatility—or risk—compared with the market in general …

—Marlys J. Harris

6

: beta wave

The findings could also help scientists better understand other beta-associated disorders, such as Parkinson's disease or obsessive compulsive disorder …

—Brown University News Release (Providence, Rhode Island)

beta

2 of 2

adjective

: second in position in the structure of an organic molecule from a particular group or atom

beta substitution

—often used in combination

—symbol β

Examples of beta in a Sentence

Noun

a program that is currently in beta

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Google’s free note-taking app appears as a system app on the latest Android 16 beta, Android 16 Developer Preview 2. —Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 19 Dec. 2024

Bell Peppers Bell peppers are high in powerful immunity-boosting vitamins C and A and beta carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body. —Cathy Nelson, Verywell Health, 18 Dec. 2024

Adjective

The announcement was made months after similar models from competitors like OpenAI’s Sora and Adobe’s Firefly Video model, the latter of which is already powering beta text-to-video editing tools inside Premiere Pro. —Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 19 Dec. 2024

Guernsey milk is high in fat and protein, Jen explained, and its unique color comes from Guernsey cows' inability to absorb beta carotene, the same vitamin that makes carrots orange. —Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English betha, from Latin beta, from Greek bēta, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew bēth beth

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1862, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing beta

• A-beta
• amyloid beta
• amyloid beta peptide
• amyloid beta protein
• beta-adrenergic
• beta-amyloid
• beta-amyloid peptide
• beta-amyloid protein
• beta-blocker
• beta-carotene
• beta cell
• beta decay
• beta-endorphin
• beta globulin
• beta-glucan
• beta hydroxy acid
• beta interferon
• beta-lactamase
• beta-oxidation
• beta particle
• beta ray
• beta-receptor
• beta test
• beta-thalassemia
• beta wave
• interferon beta

Kids Definition

beta

noun

be·​ta

ˈbāt-ə

: the 2nd letter of the Greek alphabet

—Β or β

Medical Definition

beta

1 of 2 noun

be·​ta

ˈbāt-ə, chiefly British ˈbē-tə

1

: the second letter of the Greek alphabet

—symbol Β or β

2

: beta particle

3

: beta wave

beta

2 of 2 adjective

variants or β-

1

: of or relating to one of two or more closely related chemical substances

the beta chain of hemoglobin

β-yohimbine

—used somewhat arbitrarily to specify ordinal relationship or a particular physical form and especially one that is allotropic, isomeric, stereoisomeric, or sometimes polymeric (as in β-D-glucose)

2

: second in position in the structure of an organic molecule from a particular group or atom

also : occurring at or having a structure characterized by such a position

beta substitution

3

: producing a zone of decolorization when grown on blood media

—used of some hemolytic streptococci or of the hemolysis they cause