beta reduction

1 definition found

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

  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.