Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The third letter of the Greek alphabet.
  • noun The third item in a series or system of classification.
  • noun A unit of magnetic intensity equal to one hundred thousandth (10−5) of an oersted.
  • noun A unit of mass equal to one millionth (10−6) of a gram.
  • adjective Being in the third position relative to a designated carbon atom in an organic molecule at which an atom or a group may be substituted.
  • adjective Referring to the third of a group of isomers, or molecules of similar origin or properties, determined arbitrarily by those who discover or classify them. Used in combination.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A proposed unit of magnetic intensity, equal to one hundred thousandth of a gilbert per second.
  • noun The third letter of the Greek alphabet, Γ, γ, represented historically by c, phonetically by g, in the Roman and English alphabet.
  • noun In entomology, a common European noctuid moth of the family Plusiidæ, Plusia gamma. Also called silver-Y and gamma-moth, from the shape of a silvery spot on the wing, like that of Greek gamma, γ, or English Y. The larva feeds on various low plants.
  • noun Same as gamut.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The third letter (Γ, γ = Eng. G) of the Greek alphabet.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The name of the third letter of the Greek alphabet (Γ, γ), preceded by beta (Β, β) and followed by delta, (Δ, δ).
  • noun mathematics The Gamma function, symbolized by Γ.
  • noun mathematics A constant approximately equal to 0.55721566, symbolized by γ.
  • noun physics A unit of magnetic field equal to 1 nT.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun Portuguese navigator who led an expedition around the Cape of Good Hope in 1497; he sighted and named Natal on Christmas Day before crossing the Indian Ocean (1469-1524)
  • noun the 3rd letter of the Greek alphabet
  • noun a unit of magnetic field strength equal to one-hundred-thousandth of an oersted

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Greek, of Phoenician origin; see gml in Semitic roots.]

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Examples

  • Litt et al and other proponents of neurocomputation should attempt to show how global brain gamma synchrony can be explained by classical (non-quantum) neural mechanisms.

    A Third Choice (ID Hypothesis) 2007

  • George Clark carried out one of the first surveys in gamma rays.

    Riccardo Giacconi - Autobiography 2003

  • They said the drug changes the way an enzyme called gamma secretase works, without completely blocking it, an approach that so far has failed in human trials.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2010

  • The effects are characterized by a variable known as gamma, which is explored in this interactive tutorial. of a digital image refers to the degree of clarity in both coarse and fine specimen detail.

    unknown title 2009

  • The effects are characterized by a variable known as gamma, which is explored in this interactive tutorial. of a digital image refers to the degree of clarity in both coarse and fine specimen detail.

    unknown title 2009

  • The effects are characterized by a variable known as gamma, which is explored in this interactive tutorial. of a digital image refers to the degree of clarity in both coarse and fine specimen detail.

    unknown title 2009

  • C-gamma translates into mRNA in vivo (as is the case with a handful of other retroposon's), and since it has an intact reading frame this mRNA can be translated into protein in vitro and in cell lysates.

    WordPress.com News sciphu 2008

  • l Oct. 10 - Derek Fox and Christopher Palma, both of Penn State, explain gamma ray bursts in the early universe, the Swift gamma ray telescope mission and the importance of teaching high school students about these cosmic phenomenon.

    Skywatch: Dazzling Jupiter will rule the night in October Blaine P. Friedlander 2010

  • Lilly's semagacestat aimed to slow or reverse the progression of Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting an enzyme called gamma secretase, which is important in building a sticky substance called amyloid that can clump in the brain.

    Failed Lilly Drug Prompts Concern Shirley S. Wang 2011

  • This enzyme controls the production of a crucial brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) necessary for brain cells to communicate properly without getting overly stimulated.

    Medical Mystery: A Girl Loses Her Mind 2010

Comments

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  • Gamma is the 3rd letter of the Greek alphabet. Derived from the Phonecian 'Gimel' (meaning 'camel'). Gamma is equvilent to C or G in the modern alphabet (I think :D) and can be combined with other letters to make different sounds. Used in nuclear physics for gamma radiation.

    June 23, 2008