# Betty

/ˈbɛti/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. a name

noun · CEFR A1

a short or friendly name for Elizabeth.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. a dessert

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a baked dessert made with layers of fruit and breadcrumbs.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. attractive woman

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · American English · Informal

a slang word for a beautiful or attractive woman.

For teachers: 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.

Teaching tip: This term is mostly associated with 1990s American slang; using it today may sound dated or like a parody of that era.

### 4. a thief's tool

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Archaic

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Usually appears in historical or literary contexts regarding crime.

## Examples

- The surfers were all watching the Bettys on the beach.

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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.