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beta

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

beta

Main Entry:: ¹be·ta
Pronunciation:: \ˈbā-tə, chiefly British ˈbē-\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle English betha, from Latin beta, from Greek bēta, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew bēth beth
Date:: 14th century

1 : the 2d letter of the Greek alphabet — see alphabet table 2 : beta particle 3 : 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 4 : a nearly complete prototype of a product (as software) <released in beta> <the beta version>

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