English

Proper noun

Betty

1. A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth.
   • 1866 Elizabeth Gaskell: Wives and Daughters: Chapter 10:

     People in the last century weren't afraid of homely names; now we are all so smart and fine: no more "Lady Bettys" now.

   • 1991 Peter Hedges, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Simon & Schuster (1999), ISBN 0671038540, page 60:

     But Mrs. Betty Carver respects tradition, and this, I'm afraid, is ours. - - - She smells like expensive soap and her teeth are shiny-white. She does not in any way look like her name. It's not her fault that she was born in a time when people believed in names like Wanda, Dottie and Betty. She's more of a Vanessa or Paulina.

Usage notes

• A popular given name in the early 20th century, often in the form Betty Lou.

Translations

Anagrams

• TBYTE, tbyte

Danish

Proper noun

Betty c

1. A female given name borrowed from English Betty.

English

Alternative forms

• (bar used by thieves to open doors): bettee
• (attractive woman): Betty

Noun

betty ‎(plural betties)

1. (slang, slightly pejorative) An attractive woman; a babe.
2. A short bar used by thieves to wrench doors open; a jemmy.
   • Arbuthnot

     The powerful betty, or the artful picklock.

3. (archaic, derogatory) A man who interferes with the duties of women in a household, or who occupies himself with womanish matters.
4. (US, archaic) A pear-shaped bottle covered with straw, in which olive oil is sometimes brought from Italy; a Florence flask.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Bartlett to this entry?)

Anagrams

• TBYTE, tbyte