betty

n. a short or friendly name for Elizabeth.

n. a common diminutive or hypocorism of the female given name Elizabeth.

“My aunt's name is Elizabeth, but everyone in the family calls her Betty.”

“While the name Betty was exceptionally popular in the early twentieth century, it has recently seen a modest revival as a vintage choice for newborns.”

n. a baked dessert made with layers of fruit and breadcrumbs.

n. a traditional American baked pudding consisting of layers of sweetened fruit and buttered breadcrumbs.

“We served a warm apple betty with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.”

“The recipe for apple betty dates back to the colonial era, utilizing stale breadcrumbs as a practical way to create a textured topping for seasonal fruit.”

American English

n. a slang word for a beautiful or attractive woman.

n. a slang term for an attractive young woman, popularized in mid-to-late 20th-century youth culture.

“In those old movies from the nineties, they often called a pretty girl a betty.”

“The term betty became a staple of surf and skate subcultures in the 1980s and 90s, though its usage has significantly declined in contemporary slang.”

Slang · American English · Informal

n. a small metal bar used by thieves to force doors open.

n. a short crowbar or jemmy used by burglars to force open doors or windows.

“The old story described how the thief used a betty to break into the shop.”

“Historical accounts of London's underworld frequently mention the betty as a primary tool for housebreakers before more sophisticated lock-picking methods became common.”

Slang · Archaic