# beta

/ˈbeɪtə/ (US) · /bˈiːtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/beta
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. Greek letter

noun · CEFR B2

the second letter of the Greek alphabet.

For teachers: the second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β), following alpha and preceding gamma.

- The scientist used the symbol beta to label the second group in the experiment.
- In the mathematical proof, the variable beta was used to represent the second angle of the triangle.

### 2. software testing

noun · CEFR B1

a version of a product, like a game or app, that is being tested before it is finished.

For teachers: a pre-release version of software or a product that is distributed for testing by a limited audience before the final launch.

- I am playing the beta of the new racing game to help the developers find bugs.
- The company invited five thousand users to join the closed beta to ensure the servers could handle the traffic.

Usage: often used in the phrase 'in beta'

### 3. social hierarchy

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a person who is seen as less powerful or less confident than a leader.

For teachers: a person, typically male, perceived as having a passive or submissive role in a social or professional hierarchy.

- In many old movies, the hero is an alpha and his sidekick is a beta.
- The article critiqued the modern obsession with categorizing men into alpha and beta archetypes.

Teaching tip: This term is often used in internet culture and can be derogatory; learners should use it with caution.

### 4. market risk

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a measure of how much a stock's price moves compared to the rest of the market.

For teachers: a measure of the volatility, or systematic risk, of a security or portfolio in comparison to the market as a whole.

- Investors look at a stock's beta to see if it is a risky investment.
- A stock with a beta higher than one is generally more volatile than the overall market index.

### 5. climbing information

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Informal

advice or information about how to complete a specific climbing route.

For teachers: specific information or advice regarding the moves and techniques required to complete a climbing route.

- He gave me some great beta on how to get past the difficult section of the cliff.
- Before attempting the boulder problem, she watched several videos to gather beta on the optimal hand placements.

### 6. pre-release

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something that is not yet finished and is still being tested.

For teachers: relating to the second stage of software testing or a product in its preliminary, pre-release state.

- The beta version of the app crashed several times during the first hour.
- The developers released a beta patch to address the most urgent security vulnerabilities reported by the community.

### 7. to test software

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

to test a new product before it is released to everyone.

For teachers: to subject a product or software to a beta testing phase.

- We need to beta the new website for a month before we go live.
- The studio decided to beta the multiplayer mode extensively to balance the gameplay mechanics.

## Examples

- The app is currently in beta and might have some bugs.
- The studio invited five hundred players to join the closed beta to test the server capacity before the official release.
- While the core features are stable, the beta remains restricted to developers to ensure that any critical vulnerabilities are patched before the public rollout.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.