b

1 of 3

noun

ˈbē 

plural b's or bs ˈbēz 

often capitalized, often attributive

1

a

: the second letter of the English alphabet

names that begin with b

b

: a graphic representation of this letter

in the shape of a b

c

: the speech sound that the written letter b represents : a speech counterpart of orthographic b

2

: the seventh tone of a C-major scale (see scale entry 5 sense 1)

in the key of b

3

: a graphic device for reproducing the letter b

the b on the laptop's keyboard

4

: one designated b especially as the second in order or class

I chose option b.

5

a

: a grade rating a student's work as good but short of excellent

b

: one graded or rated with a B

a b student

6

: something shaped like the letter B

7

capitalized : the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letter B and by the presence of antibodies against the antigens present in the A blood group

b

2 of 3

abbreviation

1

bachelor

2

bacillus

3

back

4

bag

5

bale

6

bass

7

basso

8

bat

9

Baumé

10

before

11

Bible

12

billion

13

bishop

14

black

15

blue

16

bolivar

17

book

18

born

19

bottom

20

brick

21

brightness

22

British

23

bulb

24

butut

B

3 of 3

symbol

boron

Examples of b in a Sentence

Noun

There are two b's in the word “abbey.”

All of their children's names begin with b.

a song in the key of B

got a B in math

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One is to get an antitrust exemption from the government, but that requires bipartisan Congressional support at a time when the two sides of the aisle a) have far more imperative legislative fish to fry and b) can’t agree whether the sky is blue or red. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025

Vendors include Fred’s Bread LLC, Garlic Underground, Gast Farms, Geneva Lakes Produce, gotta b crepes, Great Harvest Bread Co., Hearts & Flour Bakery, Katich Breads, Peasant Revolt Farm, and many more. —Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 31 May 2025

And that’s when Dominique (Natasha Behnam) and Phoenix (b), two of Clayton’s dirtbag friends from the dirtbag literary salon, burst in with their cell phones pointed at the Joe Goldberg, who’s just done a murder. —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Over the course of three years, the team saw PDS 70 b fade to one-fifth of its original brightness while its sibling protoplanet, PDS 70 c, doubled its brightness. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing b

• b and w
• b-ball
• b-boy
• b-boying
• b-girl

Kids Definition

b

noun

ˈbē

often capitalized

1

: the second letter of the English alphabet

2

: a musical note referred to by the letter B : the seventh tone of a C-major scale

3

: a grade rating a student's work as good

Medical Definition

b

1 of 3 abbreviation

1

bacillus

2

barometric

3

bath

4

Baumé scale

5

behavior

6

bel

7

bicuspid

8

born

9

brother

B

2 of 3 noun

ˈbē 

: the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letter B and by the presence of antibodies against the antigens present in the A blood group

B

3 of 3 symbol

boron