beta

(countable, uncountable)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.

(countable, rare, uncountable)(education, rare) An academic grade better than a gamma and worse than an alpha.

(countable, uncountable)(finance) Average sensitivity of a security's price to overall securities market prices.

(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.

The company is offering a public beta program to test the software.

(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.

beta levels; beta characters; beta items in a video game

(countable, uncountable)(climbing) Information about a route which may aid someone in climbing it.

(countable, uncountable)(physics) A beta particle or beta ray.

(countable, uncountable)(aviation) Sideslip angle.

(countable, uncountable)(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.

(alt of, alternative, countable, uncountable)Alternative spelling of betta (“fish in the genus Betta”).

(abbreviation, alt of, countable, ellipsis, slang, uncountable)(slang, manosphere, masculism) Ellipsis of beta male, a man who is less competent or desirable than an alpha male.

(not comparable)Identifying a molecular position in an organic chemical compound.

(not comparable)Designates the second in an order of precedence.

(not comparable)(computing) Preliminary; prerelease. Refers to an incomplete version of a product released for initial testing.

(not comparable)(of a person, object or action) Associated with the beta male/female archetype.

(computing) To preliminarily release computer software for initial testing prior to final release.

(Internet)(chiefly Internet) To beta-read a text.

1999, sqira a., in alt.tv.x-files.creative http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.x-files.creative/msg/29d32d27e61755f2?dmode=source 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 http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer.creative/msg/9301606b391212c0?dmode=source 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 http://groups.google.com/group/alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated/msg/8405f53e8acbb0c1?dmode=source 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.