(n.) 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.

B Janus-like Maecenas OK abettor abundant year academic year accept accredit acolyte adjutant admirer advance advocate affirm aficionado agent aid aide aide-de-camp aider alternate alternative ambidextrous amen angel annum another apologist approve approve of assign assist assistant attendant authenticate authorize autograph auxiliary back back up backer best man bifacial bifold biform bilateral binary binate biparous bissextile year bivalent breath buff calendar month calendar year century certify champion coadjutant coadjutor coadjutress coadjutrix common year conduplicate confirm consecutive intervals cosign countersign coup crack day decade decennary decennium defective defective year defender degree dependence deputy diapason diatessaron diatonic interval diatonic semitone disomatous double double-faced dual duple duplex duplicate encourage encourager endorse endorser enharmonic diesis enharmonic interval espouse executive officer exponent fan favor favorer fifth fiscal year flash following fortnight fourth friend at court geminate geminated get behind get in behind girl Friday give permission give the go-ahead give the imprimatur give thumbs up go along with half a jiffy half a mo half a second half a shake half step halftone help helper helpmate helpmeet hour initial instant interval irregular jiff jiffy later leap year less semitone lieutenant lover lunar month lunar year lunation luster lustrum mainstay maintainer man Friday man-hour melodic interval microsecond millennium millisecond minute moment month moon move newer next notarize note number two octave other parallel octaves paranymph paraprofessional partisan pass pass on pass upon patron patronize permit promote promoter protagonist quarter quinquennium ratify regular year reliance relocate right hand rubber stamp run interference for sanction say amen to schlock schmatte seal sec second-best secondarily secondary seconder secondly sectary semester semitone servant session seventh shake shift side with sideman sider sidereal year sign sign and seal sixth solar year split second sponsor stalwart stand back of stand behind stand by stand-in standby step stick by stick up for stroke subordinate subscribe to subsequent substitute sun support supporter supporting actor supporting instrumentalist surrogate sustainer swear and affirm swear to sympathizer take sides with term third tick tone transfer trice trimester twelvemonth twin twink