# gamma

/ˈɡæmə/ (US) · /ɡˈæmɐ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. Greek letter

noun · CEFR B2

the third letter of the Greek alphabet (Γ, γ).

For teachers: the third letter of the Greek alphabet, following beta and preceding delta.

- The scientist used the Greek letter gamma to label the third angle in the triangle.
- In classical Greek notation, gamma represents the numeral three and is the linguistic ancestor of the Latin letter C.

### 2. radiation

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a type of very strong radiation that comes from radioactive materials.

For teachers: short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei.

- The lead shield was designed to protect the workers from gamma rays.
- Gamma radiation possesses high penetrating power, necessitating dense shielding materials like lead or concrete to ensure biological safety.

### 3. finance risk

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a way to measure how much the risk of an investment changes when the price of an asset moves.

For teachers: a second-order derivative of an option's value relative to the underlying asset's price, representing the rate of change in delta.

- The trader checked the gamma of his portfolio to see how sensitive it was to market swings.
- High gamma indicates that the delta of an option is highly sensitive to even small movements in the underlying stock price.

### 4. screen brightness

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a setting that controls how bright or dark an image looks on a computer screen.

For teachers: the numerical relationship between the luminance of a pixel and its numerical value in a video or image file.

- You can adjust the gamma in the game settings if the shadows look too dark.
- Proper gamma correction ensures that the mid-tones of a digital image are displayed accurately across different monitor hardwares.

### 5. flight angle

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the angle between where an airplane is pointing and the flat ground.

For teachers: the angle between the horizontal plane and the aircraft's actual flight path through the air.

- The pilot monitored the gamma to ensure a steady descent toward the runway.
- A positive gamma indicates the aircraft is climbing, while a negative value signifies a descent relative to the local horizon.

## Examples

- Gamma rays are a very powerful form of radiation.
- The physicist explained that gamma radiation has the shortest wavelength and highest energy in the electromagnetic spectrum.
- In financial modeling, traders monitor gamma to understand how the delta of an option will change relative to movements in the price of the underlying asset.

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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.