beta abstraction

1 definition found

beta abstraction - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  beta abstraction
  
     [lambda-calculus] The conversion of an expression to an
     application of a lambda abstraction to an argument
     expression.  Some subterm of the original expression becomes
     the argument of the abstraction and the rest becomes its
     body. E.g.
  
     	4+1 --> (\ x . x+1) 4
  
     The opposite of beta abstraction is beta reduction.  These
     are the two kinds of beta conversion.