Meaning & Definition of word "Gamma"

Gamma

/ˈɡæmə/

1. The third letter of the Greek alphabet (Γ, γ), used to represent a 'g' sound in the Greek language.
- Example: In the Greek alphabet, gamma is the third letter, following beta.
2. In physics, gamma refers to the gamma radiation emitted by radioactive substances, which is a high-energy form of electromagnetic radiation.
- Example: Gamma rays are extremely penetrating and can penetrate most materials.
3. In finance, gamma denotes the rate of change of an option's delta in relation to the price of the underlying asset.
- Example: Traders often monitor the gamma of their options positions to assess risk.
4. In statistics, gamma is used in reference to the gamma function, which extends the concept of factorial to non-integer values.
- Example: The gamma function is crucial for solving many types of integrals in advanced mathematics.
5. In computer graphics, gamma refers to the correction applied to the brightness of images to adjust for human perception.
- Example: Adjusting the gamma settings on your monitor can improve the clarity of the displayed images.

From Greek 'gamma', of uncertain origin.

gamma rays:

High-energy electromagnetic waves emitted by radioactive substances.

gamma correction:

A nonlinear operation used to encode and decode luminance in images.

gamma distribution:

A family of continuous probability distributions.

delta:

The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, often used in mathematics and science.

beta:

The second letter of the Greek alphabet, used to signify various scientific concepts.

alpha:

The first letter of the Greek alphabet, often used to denote the first in a series.

Meaning: A term referring to someone overly submissive or weak.

Example Sentence: He's such a gamma, never standing up for himself.

Meaning: Someone who follows others' lead without asserting their own opinions.

Example Sentence: In the group, he was definitely the gamma, just going along with everything.