Alpha

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: al=pha

CIDE DICTIONARY

Alpha, n. [L. alpha, Gr. 'a`lfa, from Heb. āleph, name of the first letter in the alphabet, also meaning ox.].

 The first letter in the Greek alphabet, answering to A, and hence used to denote the beginning.  [1913 Webster]
"Formerly used also denote the chief; as, Plato was the alpha of the wits."  [1913 Webster]
" In cataloguing stars, the brightest star of a constellation in designated by Alpha ("  [1913 Webster]
"In am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Alpha, n.
1 the first letter of the Greek alphabet (A).
2 a first-class mark given for a piece of work or in an examination.
3 Astron. the chief star in a constellation.

Idiom

alpha and omega the beginning and the end; the most important features. alpha particle (or ray) a helium nucleus emitted by a radioactive substance, orig. regarded as a ray.

Etymology

ME f. L f. Gk

THESAURUS

Alpha

A, beginning, blast-off, breaking-in, commencement, creation, cutting edge, dawn, dawning, edge, establishment, first, first blush, first glance, first impression, first inning, first lap, first move, first round, first sight, first stage, first step, flying start, foundation, fresh start, gambit, genesis, initial, initiative, institution, jump-off, kick-off, le premier pas, leading edge, new departure, oncoming, onset, opening, opening move, origin, origination, outbreak, outset, outstart, prime, primitiveness, primitivity, running start, send-off, setout, setting in motion, setting-up, square one, start, start-off, starting point, take-off, warming-up

ROGET THESAURUS

Alpha

Beginning

N beginning, commencement, opening, outset, incipience, inception, inchoation, introduction, alpha, initial, inauguration, debut, le premier pas, embarcation, rising of the curtain, maiden speech, outbreak, onset, brunt, initiative, move, first move, narrow end of the wedge, thin end of the wedge, fresh start, new departure, origin, source, rise, bud, germ, egg, rudiment, genesis, primogenesis, birth, nativity, cradle, infancy, start, inception, creation, starting point, dawn, evolution, title-page, head, heading, van, caption, fatihah, entrance, entry, inlet, orifice, mouth, chops, lips, porch, portal, portico, propylon, door, gate, gateway, postern, wicket, threshold, vestibule, propylaeum, skirts, border, first stage, first blush, first glance, first impression, first sight, rudiments, elements, outlines, grammar, alphabet, ABC, beginning, initial, initiatory, initiative, inceptive, introductory, incipient, proemial, inaugural, inchoate, inchoative, embryonic, rudimental, primogenial, primeval, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, natal, nascent, first, foremost, leading, maiden, begun, just begun, at the beginning, in the beginning first, in the first place, imprimis, first and foremost, in limine, in the bud, in embryo, in its infancy, from the beginning, from its birth, ab initio, ab ovo, ab incunabilis, ab origine, let's get going!, let's get this show on the road!, up and at 'em!, aller Anfang ist schwer, dimidium facti qui coepit habet, omnium rerum principia parva sunt.