adjective / noun
alpha
AL-fuh/ˈælfə/
The first member or position in a sequence.
The alpha tile stands first in the sequence of Greek letters.
Etymology
As the first Greek letter, alpha came to signify a beginning or the first in a sequence. The first-place idea also underlies “alpha male,” used for dominant animals and later applied to humans.
In context
So far, his gung-ho approach to leadership hasn't worked out. Perhaps he just needs to take some time to figure out how to be an alpha around here.
More examples
- The team tests an early alpha version of its software.
- Researchers record which animal acts as the group's alpha.
- The first item in the series is labeled alpha.
Forms
alpha · alphas