beta reduction

[lambda-calculus] The application of a lambdaabstraction to an argument expression. A copy of the body of

the lambda abstraction is made and occurrences of the boundvariable being replaced by the argument. E.g.

( x . x+1) 4 --@# 4+1

Beta reduction is the only kind of reduction in the purelambda-calculus. The opposite of beta reduction is betaabstraction. These are the two kinds of beta conversion.

See also name capture.