gamma
Use Gamma in a sentence
ə noun
1.
the third letter of the greek alphabet (Γ, γ).
2.
the consonant sound represented by this letter.
3.
the third in a series of items.
4.
( initial capital letter ) Astronomy. a star that is usually the third brightest of a constellation: The third brightest star in the Southern Cross is Gamma Crucis.
5.
a unit of weight equal to one microgram.
6.
Physics. a unit of magnetic field strength, equal to 10− 5 gauss.
7.
Photography. a measure of the degree of development of a negative or print.
8.
Television. an analogous numerical indication of the degree of contrast between light and dark in the reproduction of an image in television.
9.
Origin:
< Greek gámma
< Greek gámma
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To gamma
00:10
Gamma
is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
gamma (ˈɡæmə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the third letter in the Greek alphabet (Γ, γ), a consonant, transliterated as g. When double, it is transcribed and pronounced as ng |
| 2. | the third highest grade or mark, as in an examination |
| 3. | a unit of magnetic field strength equal to 10--5 oersted. 1 gamma is equivalent to 0.795 775 × 10--3 ampere per metre |
| 4. | photog, television the numerical value of the slope of the characteristic curve of a photographic emulsion or television camera; a measure of the contrast reproduced in a photographic or television image |
| 5. | (modifier) |
| a. involving or relating to photons of very high energy: a gamma detector | |
| b. relating to one of two or more allotropes or crystal structures of a solid: gamma iron | |
| c. relating to one of two or more isomeric forms of a chemical compound, esp one in which a group is attached to the carbon atom next but one to the atom to which the principal group is attached | |
| [C14: from Greek; related to Hebrew gīmel third letter of the Hebrew alphabet (probably: camel)] | |
| Gamma (ˈɡæmə) | |
| —n | |
| (foll by the genitive case of a specified constellation) the third brightest star in a constellation: Gamma Leonis | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
gamma
"third letter of the Greek alphabet," c.1400, from Gk. gamma, from Phoenician gimel, lit. "camel." Gamma rays (1903) were originally thought to be a third type of radiation, now known to be identical with very short X-rays.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
gamma gam·ma (gām'ə)
n.
Symbol γ The third letter of the greek alphabet.The third item in a series or system of classification.
The third position from a designated carbon atom in an organic molecule at which an atom or a radical may be substituted.
A unit of magnetic field strength equal to one hundred thousandth (10-5) of an oersted.
A unit of mass equal to one millionth (10-6) of a gram.
Relating to or being the atom or radical group that is in the third position relative to the functional group of atoms in an organic molecule.
Relating to or characterizing a polypeptide chain that is one of five types of heavy chains that may be present in immunoglobins.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary
GAMMA definition
language1. A language for matrices and generation of mathematical programming reports.
["GAMMA 3.3 for MPS/MPSX, IBM System:/360", Bonnor & Moore Assocs (Mar 1975)].
2. A high-level parallel language.
[Research Directions in High-Level Parallel Languages, LeMetayer ed, Springer 1992].
(1994-11-29)
Example sentences
But then strange things started popping up in laboratories: x-rays, gamma rays, a mysterious phenomenon called radioactivity.
Then radiation polymerization, grafting, and crosslinking by e-beam or gamma sterilization.
And all of the control-treated mice, whether they got the gamma globulin or the bird-flu antibody, they all died.
Intravenous gamma globulin is the standard treatment.
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