beta: Meaning and Definition of

be•ta

1. the second letter of the Greek alphabet (&bgr;, B).
2. the consonant sound represented by this letter.
3. (cap.)a star that is usually the second brightest of a constellation: The second brightest star in Taurus is Beta Tauri.
1. one of the possible positions of an atom or group in a compound.
2. one of two or more isomeric compounds.
5. the second of any series, as in chemistry or physics.
6. Also calledan arbitrary measure of the volatility of a given stock using an index of the volatility of the market as a whole: A beta of 1.1 indicates a stock that is 10 percent more volatile than the market.
7. (cap.)a brand of tape format for VCR tape, incompatible with other formats. Cf. VHS.
8. a grade showing that a student is in the middle or second of three scholastic sections in a class. Cf. alpha (def. 7),(def. 9).