b
1 of 3noun
ˈbē 
plural b's or bs ˈbēz
often capitalized, often attributive
1
a
: the second letter of the English alphabet
names that begin with b
b
: a graphic representation of this letter
in the shape of a b
c
: the speech sound that the written letter b represents : a speech counterpart of orthographic b
2
: the seventh tone of a C-major scale (see scale entry 5 sense 1)
in the key of b
3
: a graphic device for reproducing the letter b
the b on the laptop's keyboard
4
: one designated b especially as the second in order or class
I chose option b.
5
a
: a grade rating a student's work as good but short of excellent
b
: one graded or rated with a B
a b student
6
: something shaped like the letter B
7
capitalized : the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letter B and by the presence of antibodies against the antigens present in the A blood group
b
2 of 3abbreviation
1
bachelor
2
bacillus
3
back
4
bag
5
bale
6
bass
7
basso
8
bat
9
Baumé
10
before
11
Bible
12
billion
13
bishop
14
black
15
blue
16
bolivar
17
book
18
born
19
bottom
20
brick
21
brightness
22
British
23
bulb
24
butut
B
3 of 3symbol
boron
Example Sentences
Noun There are two b's in the word “abbey.” All of their children's names begin with b. a song in the key of B got a B in math
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonathan O'callaghan, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2023 Referring to the diagram, the report took care not to leave out what, to Walter, was the heart of the matter: the centrality of deception in the Nazi method: The unfortunate victims are brought into hall (b) where they are told to undress. —Jonathan Freedland, Time, 29 Dec. 2022 There are three choices for the first letter (a, b or c), two for the second, and one for the third. —Quanta Magazine, 1 Dec. 2022 Ego Nwodim is playing Whoopi Goldberg, with Sarah Sherman as Joy Behar and a couple members of the b-team. —Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2022 During those sessions, Queen recorded about 30 songs, but only 10 made it on the album (followed by a couple of b-sides). —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2022 An inevitable side effect of any system that has (a) been in use for an extended period and (b) has been changed and updated along the way, often by many different people, is technical debt. —Brian Pierce, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 On this loose-leaf page from 1965, Bourgeois takes hold of the questions, wrestles them into order, 1, 2, 3, moves through them, to their logical conclusions, a and b, like a formula. —Claire-louise Bennett, Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
This time the telescope studied an Earth-sized world called LHS 475 b, which orbits a red dwarf star 41 light-years away from Earth. —Jonathan O'callaghan, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2023 Referring to the diagram, the report took care not to leave out what, to Walter, was the heart of the matter: the centrality of deception in the Nazi method: The unfortunate victims are brought into hall (b) where they are told to undress. —Jonathan Freedland, Time, 29 Dec. 2022 There are three choices for the first letter (a, b or c), two for the second, and one for the third. —Quanta Magazine, 1 Dec. 2022 Ego Nwodim is playing Whoopi Goldberg, with Sarah Sherman as Joy Behar and a couple members of the b-team. —Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2022 During those sessions, Queen recorded about 30 songs, but only 10 made it on the album (followed by a couple of b-sides). —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2022 An inevitable side effect of any system that has (a) been in use for an extended period and (b) has been changed and updated along the way, often by many different people, is technical debt. —Brian Pierce, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 On this loose-leaf page from 1965, Bourgeois takes hold of the questions, wrestles them into order, 1, 2, 3, moves through them, to their logical conclusions, a and b, like a formula. —Claire-louise Bennett, Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing b
Kids Definition
b
nounˈbē
often capitalized
1
: the second letter of the English alphabet
2
: a musical note referred to by the letter B : the seventh tone of a C-major scale
3
: a grade rating a student's work as good
Medical Definition
b
1 of 3 abbreviation1
bacillus
2
barometric
3
bath
4
Baumé scale
5
behavior
6
bel
7
bicuspid
8
born
9
brother
B
2 of 3 noun ˈbē
: the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letter B and by the presence of antibodies against the antigens present in the A blood group
B
3 of 3 symbol boron