α

See also: Α; Α.; ά; α.; ά.; α'; ,α; ∝; and Appendix:Variations of "a"

Translingual

Symbol

α

1. (electrodynamics) The fine structure constant.
2. (classical mechanics) Represents angular acceleration.

   See Wikipedia article on angular acceleration for usage.

3. (chemistry) Used in chemical nomenclature.

   α-lactam has a three-membered ring structure.

4. (astronomy) Used to identify some bright star, usually the brightest star, of a constellation, for instance α-Centauri.
5. (topology) Alexandroff compactification

Derived terms

• α-naphthol

See also

• alpha (for names of this symbol in other language)

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Greek

Etymology 1

Derived from its (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek majuscule counterpart Α (A, “Alpha”), in turn from the (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Phoenician letter 𐤀 (“aleph”).

Letter

α • (a) (lower case, upper case Α)

1. Lower-case άλφα (álfa, “alpha”), the first letter of the modern Greek alphabet. Represents the open front unrounded vowel: /a/.

Usage notes

• Ancient Greek, however, did not distinguish between upper case and lower case. See Α (A) for details.

Derived terms

• α' (a', “one, 1”)
• ,α (,a, “one thousand, 1,000”)

See also

• Appendix:Greek alphabet

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek ἆ (â).

Interjection 1

α! • (a!)

1. Expresses wonder, surprise or joy; ah, ooh, oh, wow:

   Α, τι πανέμορφη θέα! ― A, ti panémorfi théa! ― Wow, what a gorgeous view!

   Α, δεν σε περίμενα! Ποτέ έφτασες; ― A, den se perímena! Poté éftases? ― Oh, I wasn't expecting you! When did you get here?

2. Expresses desire or wish; oh:

   Α και να ερχόταν να με δει! ― A kai na erchótan na me dei! ― Oh, if only he would come to see me!

3. Expresses anger or threat; oh:

   Α που να σε πάρει ο διάολος! ― A pou na se párei o diáolos! ― Oh, the devil take you/Oh, to hell with you!

   Α έτσι μου είσαι; Θα δεις εσύ τώρα! ― A étsi mou eísai? Tha deis esý tóra! ― Oh, so that's how it is? Wait till you see!

4. Expresses impatience; oh, ah:

   Α δεν μπορώ να περιμένω άλλο! ― A den boró na periméno állo! ― Ah, I can't wait any longer!

5. Expresses confirmation of a fact; oh, ah:

   Α ναι βεβαίως ήταν αυτός! ― A nai vevaíos ítan aftós! ― Ah, yes, of course it was him!

6. Expresses desire against; oh, ah:

   Α όχι αυτός πάλι! ― A óchi aftós páli! ― Oh, not him again!

7. Answer word, can be either positive or negative; eh, meh:

   Θα 'ρθεις απόψε στο πάρτι; Α, μπα! ― Tha 'rtheis apópse sto párti? A, ba! ― Will you be coming to the party tonight? Ah, nah!

   Ωραίο δεν ήταν το έργο; Α, καλό ήταν! ― Oraío den ítan to érgo? A, kaló ítan! ― Wasn't the film nice? Eh, it was good!

8. Answer word of indifference; meh:

   Πως πάει το σχόλιο τελευταία; Α, έτσι κι έτσι! ― Pos páei to schólio teleftaía? A, étsi ki étsi! ― How's school going lately? Meh, so-so!

Etymology 3

From άι < άε from Ancient Greek ἄγε sg (áge, “go!”, pres.imp.) (with deletion of ‑γ-) of verb ἄγω (“I lead”). Also see etymologies of άντε, άιντε, άμε.

Alternative forms

• άι (ái) (uncontracted)

Template:el-see for interchangeable interjections for dismissal

Interjection 2

α • (a)

1. (colloquial) Contraction of άντε (ánte).

   Α να χαθείς! ― A na chatheís! ― Oh, get lost!

   Α στο καλό πια, σε βαρέθηκα! ― A sto kaló pia, se varéthika! ― Oh go away will you, I'm sick of you!

Related terms

• α να χαθείς (a na chatheís, “get lost!”)
• α στο διάολο (a sto diáolo, “go to the devil (to hell)!”)
• α στο καλό (a sto kaló, “go to what is good (with multiple senses)”)
• and see Greek dismissals

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Tsakonian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek ἡ (hē), ᾱ̔ (hā), from Proto-Indo-European *séh₂.

Article

α (a) f sg

1. feminine nominative singular of ο (o)

Declension

The definite article

Number	Singular			Plural
Case / Gender	m	f	n	m	f	n
nominative	ο	α	το	οι	οι	τα
accusative	το(ν)*	τα(ν)*	το	του(ρ)*	του(ρ)*	τα
genitive	του	τα(ρ)*	του	του(ν)*	του(ν)*	του(ν)*
The final "ν" is preserved before vowels, and the plosive/affricate consonants:       κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ The final "ρ" is preserved before vowels

Etymology 2

Letter

α (a) (lower case, upper case Α)

The first letter of the Tsakonian alphabet.

See also

• (Greek script letters) Α (A) α (a), Α̈ (Ä) α̈ (ä), Ά (Á) ά (á), Β (V) β (v), Γ (G) γ (g), Δ (D) δ (d), Ε (E) ε (e), Έ (É) έ (é), Ζ (Z) ζ (z), Ζ̌ (Ž) ζ̌ (ž), Ζ̑ (Z̑) ζ̑ (z̑), Η (I) η (i), Ή (Í) ή (í), Θ (Th) θ (th), Ι (I) ι (i), Ί (Í) ί (í), Ϊ ϊ (ï), ΐ (ḯ), Κ (K) κ (k), Κ̀ (K̀) κ̔ (k̔), Λ (L) λ (l), Λ̣ (Ḷ) λ̣ (ḷ), Λ̑ (L̑) λ̑ (l̑), Μ (M) μ (m), Ν (N) ν (n), Ν̇ (Ṅ) ν̇ (ṅ), Ν̑ (N̑) ν̑ (n̑), Ξ (X) ξ (x), Ο (O) ο (o), Ό (Ó) ό (ó), Π (P) π (p), Π̀ (P̀) π̔ (p̔), Ρ (R) ρ (r), Σ (S) σ (s) ς (s), Σ̌ (Š) σ̌ (š) ς̌ (š), Σ̑ (S̑) σ̑ (s̑) ς̑ (s̑), Τ (T) τ (t), Τ̀ (T̀) τ̔ (t̔), Τζ (Tz) τζ (tz), Τσ (Ts) τσ (ts) τς (ts), Υ (Y) υ (y), Ύ (Ý) ύ (ý), Ϋ ϋ (ÿ), ΰ (ÿ́), Φ (F) φ (f), Χ (Ch) χ (ch), Ψ (Ps) ψ (ps), Ω (O) ω (o), Ώ (Ó) ώ (ó)