| 释义 |
epsilon|ɛpˈsaɪlən|
[Gr. ἒ ψιλόν, lit. ‘bare e’, i.e. ‘e and nothing else’, = short e written ε and not αι.]
The fifth letter of the Greek alphabet (Ε, ε):
1. Astr. Denoting the fifth brightest star in a constellation.
c1400Mandeville (1839) iii. 20. 1842 Penny Cycl. XXII. 448/2 The following stars, γ Leonis, ε Bootis, ζ Herculis, δ Serpentis, and γ Virginis, were made out to be revolving double stars, by W. Herschel, in 1803. 1930A. J. Quirke Forged, Anon. & Suspect Docs. v. 77 Affectation of letter-forms of unconventional type... A typical example is the use of the Greek ‘epsilon’ for small e. Ibid. vii. 100 Examination of small ‘e’... If Greek ‘epsilon’ form is used, [etc.]. 1931Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Jan. 10/3 The epsilon-shaped E [i.e. ε]. 1959Listener 3 Dec. 971/1 An interesting system is that of Epsilon Lyræ.
2. a. An examiner's fifth-class mark.
1907[see alpha 4].
b. A person of low intelligence.
1932A. Huxley Brave New World i. 15 ‘In Epsilons,’ said Mr. Foster very justly, ‘we don't need human intelligence.’ Ibid. iv. 69 The liftman was a small simian creature, dressed in the black tunic of an Epsilon-Minus Semi-Moron. 1958Listener 11 Sept. 374/2 With the people down below—‘the epsilons’—enjoying very little—do you think this kind of situation can long endure? |