alpha

See also Alpha, and alfa

English

Ancient Greek Alphabet

—		→ beta
Α α Ancient Greek: ἄλφα
Wikipedia article on alpha

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek ἄλφα (alpha), the first letter of the Greek alphabet, from the Phoenician aleph.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈæɫfə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

alpha (countable and uncountable; plural alphas)

1. The name of the first letter of the Greek alphabet (Α,  α), followed by beta. In the Latin alphabet it is the predecessor to A.
2. Latin alpha
3. (sciences) The name of the symbols Α and α used in science and mathematics, often interchangeable with the symbols when used as a prefix.

   I will attempt to make an alpha particle ("α-particle") with the large hadron collider.

4. (finance) The return of a given asset or portfolio adjusted for systematic risk.
5. An alpha male.
   • 2010, The Female Masculinist, Feminists and Alpha Males vs. Civilization:

     Alpha males don’t do this because they’re too busy convincing everyone around them that they are alphas.

6. (informal, abbreviation) Alphabet.

Derived terms

terms derived from alpha (noun)

alpha and omega alpha blending alpha channel alpha emitter alpha helix alphalike alpha male

alpha particle alpha ray alpha wave alpha ray alpha testing alpha version

See also

• Alpha (investment) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Alpha (investment)

Translations

name of the letter Α, α

Arabic: ألفا (ar) ('álfaa) f. Catalan: alfa (ca) f. Chinese: Mandarin: 阿爾發 (zh), 阿尔发 (zh) (ā'ěrfā), 阿伐 (zh) (āfá) Croatian: alfa (hr) m. and f. Dutch: alfa (nl) m. and f. Esperanto: alfa (eo) Finnish: alfa (fi) French: alpha (fr) m. Greek: άλφα (el) (álfa) n. Icelandic: alfa (is) n. Interlingua: alpha

Irish: alfa (ga) m. Italian: alfa (it) m. Japanese: アルファ (ja) (arufa) Korean: 알파 (ko) (alpa) Latin: alpha (la) Oriya: ଆଲ୍ଫା (or) Polish: alfa (pl) f. Portuguese: alfa (pt) m. Russian: альфа (ru) (ál'fa) f. Spanish: alfa (es) Swedish: alfa (sv) Turkish: alfa (tr)

name of the letter Ɑ, ɑ — see Latin alpha

Adjective

alpha (not comparable)

1. Designates the first in an order of precedence.

   I am the alpha male.

2. (astronomy) Designates the brightest star in a constellation.

   When space travel becomes feasible, I plan to visit Alpha Centauri.

Derived terms

alpha blogger Alpha Centauri, α-Centauri alpha female

alpha geek

Related terms

• alphabet
• alphabet soup
• alphabetical
• alphabetical order
• alphanumeric

---

French

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA: /al.fa/, SAMPA: /al.fa/

Noun

alpha m. inv.

1. alpha (Greek letter)

---

Interlingua

Noun

alpha

1. alpha

---

Latin

Noun

alpha

1. alpha