is the second letter of the English alphabet. (See Guide to Pronunciation, // 196, 220.) It is etymologically related to p, v, f, w and m, letters representing sounds having a close organic affinity to its own sound; as in Eng. bursar and purser; Eng. bear and Lat. ferre; Eng. silver and Ger. silber; Lat. cubitum and It. gomito; Eng. seven, Anglo-Saxon seofon, Ger. sieben, Lat. septem, Gr."epta`, Sanskrit saptan. The form of letter B is Roman, from Greek B (Beta), of Semitic origin. The small b was formed by gradual change from the capital B.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). b. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/b/definitions/1977681 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "b" http://smartdefine.org/b/definitions/1977681 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, b, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/b/definitions/1977681>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "b" 27 May 2011. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/b/definitions/1977681> |