alphabet en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈæl.fə.bɪt/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation, uncommon)
- (US) audio
- /ˈæl.fəˌbɛt/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Semitic *ʔalp- Phoenician 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)bor. Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha) Proto-Semitic *bayt- Phoenician 𐤁𐤕 (bt)bor. Ancient Greek βῆτᾰ (bêtă) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek ἀλφάβητος (alphábētos) Byzantine Greek ἀλφάβητον (alphábēton)der. Classical Latin alphabētumbor. Middle English alphabete English alphabet From Middle English alphabete, borrowed from Classical Latin alphabētum, from Ancient Greek ἀλφάβητος (alphábētos), from ἄλφα (álpha) and βῆτα (bêta), the names of the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, Α (A) and Β (B), lowercase forms α and β. The Greek names derived from aleph, the name of the Phoenician letter 𐤀 (ʾ, “ox”) and beth, the name of the letter 𐤁 (b, “house”), so called because they were pictograms of those objects, having developed from the Egyptian hieroglyphs F1 (𓃾) and pr (𓉐). Doublet of alfabeto. Dipslaced native Old English stæfrǣw (literally "staff-row").
Meanings
-
The set of letters used when writing in a language.
In the first year of school, pupils are taught to recite the alphabet.
The Greek alphabet has only twenty-four letters.
- A writing system in which letters represent phonemes. (Contrast e.g. logography, a writing system in which each character represents a word, and syllabary, in which each character represents a syllable.)
- A writing system in which letters represent phonemes. (Contrast e.g. logography, a writing system in which each character represents a word, and syllabary, in which each character represents a syllable.) ▸ A writing system in which there are letters for the consonant and vowel phonemes. (Contrast e.g. abjad.)
-
A typically finite set of distinguishable symbols.
Let L be a regular language over the alphabet #92;Sigma.
-
(Africa, Hong-Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, dialectal, nonstandard) An individual letter of an alphabet; an alphabetic character.
There are 26 alphabets in English.
2005, Satinder Bal Gupta, Comprehensive Discrete Mathematics & Structures, Laxmi Publications, page 237:Tamil got 247 alphabets you know. Got two R-eh, got three L, got two N you know.
2007, Elangovan, P, Singapore, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 83:We realize the fact that the alphabet A has been used in many world scripts as a vowel with the others AEIOU.
2002, Eugene E. Dike, African myth of creation in African form of writing, Monsenstein und Vannerdat, →ISBN, page 30:The notes are named with the first seven alphabets.
-
The simplest rudiments; elements.
The very alphabet of our law.
1828, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “The Constitutional History of England: From the Accession of Henry VII, to the Death of George II, by Henry Hallam”, in The Edinburgh Review, volume 18:
- (Internet) An agent of the FBI, the CIA, or another such government agency.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| alphabets | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
s (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · word-spelling alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Theban alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Roman alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · h (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · spelling alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Gothic alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · NATO phonetic alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · moveable alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · deaf-and-dumb alphabet · multi- · p (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · alphasort · alphanumeric(-al) · multialphabet · alphabetism · movable alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Shaw alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · alphametic · Latin alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · Bengali alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · International Phonetic Alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · finger alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · international phonetic alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · manual alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · alphabet boy (Expressions with other terms) · ARPAbet · alphabetlike · mixed alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · e (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · alphabet oracle (Expressions with other terms) · alphabet agency (Expressions with other terms) · Raguileo alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · hand alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · phonetic alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · alphabet soup (Expressions with other terms) · voice procedure alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Shavian alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Morse alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · l (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · alphabetitis · alphabet block (Expressions with other terms) · alphabeted · alphabet book (Expressions with other terms) · alphabetic(-al) → alphabetically · alphabet brick (Expressions with other terms) · alphabetarian · radio alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · t (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · Zhuyin alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · prealphabetic · ICAO spelling alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · telephone alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · F (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · prealphabet · a (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · unalphabeted · Lorm alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · alphabetiform · alphabetize · poly- · Proto-Canaanite alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · alphabetics · weighted alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · alphabet of desire (Expressions with other terms) · b (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · Euclidean alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Glagolitic alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · r (Expressions with other terms; synonym of Fraser script) · -ise · phonetic spelling alphabet (Expressions with other terms) · Greek alphabet (Expressions with language/script names) · alphabet mafia (Expressions with other terms) · semi-alphabet
Hypernyms
Relateds
abugida · syllabary · abecedary · alphabetary · writing system · abjad · alphabetician · script · analphabet · orthography
Synonyms
Translations (270)
nn alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · la abecedārium (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kk әліпби (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lt alphabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · os абетӕ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · be абэцэ́да (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · udi тӏетӏир (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fy alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pt abecedário (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · de Abc (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sga apgitir (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · es alfabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pl alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · nl ABC (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pdc Aa-Be-Ze (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fi aakkosto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · su alpabét (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ig abịịdịị (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · jv aksara (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · no abc (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lb Alphabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ur حَرُوفِ تَہَجی (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yi אַלף־בית (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · nb alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ko 문자 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · uk алфаві́т (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ang stæfrǣw (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · km អក្សរ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · hy այբուբեն (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · uk алфа́віт (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sah алпабыыт (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pt alfabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yi אַזבוקע (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lt abėcėlė (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · id abjad (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ms aksara (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ady тхыпкъылъэ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · rue алфаві́т (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · gu મૂળાક્ષર (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ia alphabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · be абяца́дла (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cv алфавит (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tr abece (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · se alfabēhta (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ro alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · te అక్షరమాల (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · or ବର୍ଣ୍ଣମାଳା (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pt abecê (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · vi bảng chữ cái (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pdc Aabc (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cmn 字母表 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · rsk абецеда (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · af alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · th ตัวอักษร (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fa-ira اَلِفْبا (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mh aļbapeet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · be а́збука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · crh alfavit (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ky алиппе (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ja 音素文字 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · uk альфабе́т (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · bg алфави́та (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · wym alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mr मुळाक्षरे (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mr वर्णमाला (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ug ئېلىپبە (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · crh elifbe (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sms alfabeʹtt (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ca alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · uk абе́тка (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kum алифба (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mi arapū (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yue 字母 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ja アルファベット (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ha abjàdī (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tl abakada (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · prs اَلِفْبَا (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · he אָלֶף־בֵּית (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lt alfabetas (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sh alfàbēt (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kbd хьэрыфылъэ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cu аꙁъбоукꙑ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lad alef bet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yi גלחות (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fo stavrað (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ta நெடுங்கணக்கு (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ur اَبْجَد (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · wa alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · uk а́збука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · gd aibidil (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · as বৰ্ণমালা (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cs abeceda (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fr alphabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · oc alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ms abjad (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ar أَبْجَد (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pa ਵਰਨਮਾਲਾ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ar أَلِفْبَائِيَّة (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · su alfabét (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · vo lafab (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · gv abbyrlhit (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ko 알파벳 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yo álífábẹ́ẹ̀tì (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · uz alifbo (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · eo alfabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mn цагаан толгой (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lo ແມ່ກໍກາ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lad alfabé (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · os алфавит (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · gsw Alphabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · non stafróf (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · esu igat (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sma alfabeete (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yi אַלפֿאַבעט (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · alt таҥмалык (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · grc ἀλφάβητος (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mk азбука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · bua үзэг бэшэг (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pt abc (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ja 文字 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · am ፊደል (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kn ಅಕ್ಷರಮಾಲೆ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cu азъбоукꙑ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · eu alfabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · az əlifba (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ka ანბანი (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ps الفبې (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · hi अक्षरमाला (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · th อักษร (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pt á-bê-cê (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ce абат (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · bcl alpabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · apw biabcʼhíí (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tt әлифба (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yo ábídí (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · orv азбукꙑ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ht abese (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pl abecadło (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kmr alfabe (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kpv алфавит (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lo ໂຕຫນັງສື (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cmn 字母系統 /字母系统 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sl abeceda (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · be алфаві́т (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ta அகரவரிசை (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ang stæfrōf (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lkt oówaptaya (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sv alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yue 字母表 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · pdc Aelfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · io alfabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sv ABC (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · id alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · be альфабэ́т (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kl alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sw alfabeti (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · it alfabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ms ابجد (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kw abecedari (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ug ئالفابىت (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · gag alfavit (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cmn 字母 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · he אָלֶפְבֵּית (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ar حُرُوف هِجَاء (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lad alibé (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · vro tähistü (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lad alfabeta (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · et alfabeet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fo bókstavarað (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · is stafróf (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · eo alfabeto (in computer science) · my အက္ခရာ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ca abecedari (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · bg а́збука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · jv alfabèt (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · hu ábécé (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · gur alfabetum (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · no alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tk elipbiý (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mg abidy (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · hi मूलाक्षर (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tk alfawit (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · el αλφάβητο (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · km អក្ខរក្រម (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · dng зыму (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · la alphabetum (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kw lytherennek (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sh àzbuka (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fi aakkoset (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · es abecedario (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · om qubee (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · enm abece (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kl oqaasiliuutissat (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tsg alipbā'tā' (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kbd тхыпкъылъэ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · din kïndegɔ̈t (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sk abeceda (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · dv އަލިފުބާ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · izh alfavitta (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sh алфа̀бе̄т (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · nl alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · uz alfavit (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ar أَلِفْبَاء (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · rom alfabéto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · bn বর্ণমালা (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cmn 音素文字 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · nv saad bee álʼíní (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ms huruf (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ru а́збука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mi tātai reta (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tg алифбо (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · gl alfabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · rsk азбука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · apw abcʼhí (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · haw pīʻāpā (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · el αλφαβήτα (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ne वर्णमाला (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ms حروف (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · nv áábée (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sh абеце́да (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · dng элифбе (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · aa abatasa (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mn ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠲᠣᠯᠤᠭᠠᠢ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ba әлифба (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · cy gwyddor (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · co alfabetu (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sah алфавит (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ab алфавит (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ml അക്ഷരമാല (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tl alpabeto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · hi वर्णमाला (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fo stavarað (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ga aibidil (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kk алфавит (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · win woowagax (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kpv анбур (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sa अक्षरसमाम्नाय (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ko 음소문자 (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sh а̀збука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ga aibítir (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ky алфавит (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ast alfabetu (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sq alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · mt alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · csb abecadło (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ti ፊደል (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · arc ܐܠܦܒܝܬ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · fi aakkosisto (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ur اَلِف با (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · et tähestik (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · de Alphabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · br lizherenneg (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · yo ááfábẹ́tì (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ar أَبْجَدِيَّة (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kl qanermissarissat (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ru алфави́т (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ms اکسارا (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · tr alfabe (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · rue а́збука (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · kk әліппе (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · sh abecéda (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · ha ā̀bā̀cā̀dâ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · id aksara (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · bua сагаан толгой (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · rsk алфабет (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · da alfabet (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lo ອັກສອນ (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · lv alfabēts (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · alt таныксӧс (an ordered set of letters used in a language) · bo ཀ་ཁ (an ordered set of letters used in a language)