Betamax

Etymology
According to, the name had a double meaning: beta is the Japanese word used to describe the way in which signals are recorded on the tape; and the shape of the Greek letter beta β resembles the course of the tape through the transport. The suffix -max, from, was added to suggest greatness.

Proper noun

 * 1) A home videocassette recording format developed by  in 1975, now known for having lost the format war to VHS.

Verb

 * 1)  To make (something) obsolete.