beta reduction

[lambda-calculus] The application of a lambda abstraction to an argument expression. A copy of the body of the lambda abstraction is made and occurrences of the bound variable being replaced by the argument. E.g. 

 (\ x . x+1) 4  -->  4+1
Beta reduction is the only kind of reduction in the pure lambda-calculus. The opposite of beta reduction is beta abstraction. These are the two kinds of beta conversion.

See also name capture.

Nearby terms:

beta conversion ♦ Betamaxed ♦ beta reduction ♦ beta test ♦ beta testing

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