Beep is a short, high-pitched electronic sound, like the noise a microwave makes when your food is ready or the sound a car horn makes when you tap it lightly. Most beeps last only a fraction of a second, making them perfect for getting someone's attention without being too loud or annoying.

Electronic devices use beeps to communicate with us. A smoke detector beeps when its battery is low. A digital watch beeps at the top of the hour. Video games beep when you press buttons or complete actions. Even large trucks beep loudly when backing up to warn people nearby.

The word works as both a noun (the sound itself: “I heard a beep”) and a verb (making the sound: “The alarm clock beeped at 6:30 AM”). People sometimes use “beep” to describe censoring bad words on TV or radio, where a beep sound covers up what someone said.

Interestingly, while beeps are artificial sounds made by electronics, the word itself tries to sound like what it describes. When you say “beep” out loud, you're almost making the sound you're talking about.