alfa

See also: Alfa and alfą

Translingual

Noun

alfa

1. Alternative letter-case form of Alfa of the ICAO/NATO radiotelephony alphabet.

English

Etymology 1

Noun

alfa

2. (international standards) Alternative letter-case form of Alfa from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.
4. (international standards) Alternative spelling of alpha used in the ruleset of the international nonproprietary name system, where various digraphs are usually deprecated (except for grandfathered exceptions) because their replacement is translingually preferable (thus, for example, f, not ph; t, not th; and e, not ae).

Etymology 2

From Fula alfaa. Compare Yoruba àlùfáà.

Noun

alfa (plural alfas)

1. (Islam) A West African cleric or religious teacher.

Asturian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Noun

alfa f (plural alfes)

1. alpha (Greek letter)

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈal.fə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈal.fa]

Noun

alfa f (plural alfes)

1. alpha (Greek letter)

Further reading

• “alfa”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], 2007 April

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈalfa]

Noun

alfa n or f

1. alpha

Declension

when feminine:

Declension of alfa (hard feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	alfa	alfy
genitive	alfy	alf
dative	alfě	alfám
accusative	alfu	alfy
vocative	alfo	alfy
locative	alfě	alfách
instrumental	alfou	alfami

Indeclinable when neuter.

Dutch

Alternative forms

• alpha (superseded)

Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin. Doublet of alef.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑl.faː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: al‧fa

Noun

alfa f (plural alfa's, diminutive alfaatje n)

1. the letter alpha (first letter of the Greek alphabet)
2. Historically used in educational contexts to denote a humanistic orientation.

   Antonym: bèta

3. someone who is educated in the humanities or otherwise prefers such subjects

   Antonym: bèta

4. (ethology) a dominant animal

Derived terms

• alfamannetje
• alfawetenschap
• alfawijfje

Further reading

• alfa on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^nl

Finnish

Greek letter

Αα	Previous:	n/a
	Next:	beeta

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑlf(ː)ɑ/, [ˈɑ̝lf(ː)ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑlfɑ
• Syllabification^(key): al‧fa
• Hyphenation^(key): al‧fa

Noun

alfa

1. alpha; the Greek letter Α, α
2. alpha (person, especially a male, who is dominant, successful and attractive)

Declension

Inflection of alfa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		alfa	alfat
genitive		alfan	alfojen
partitive		alfaa	alfoja
illative		alfaan	alfoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		alfa	alfat
accusative	nom.	alfa	alfat
	gen.	alfan
genitive		alfan	alfojen alfain rare
partitive		alfaa	alfoja
inessive		alfassa	alfoissa
elative		alfasta	alfoista
illative		alfaan	alfoihin
adessive		alfalla	alfoilla
ablative		alfalta	alfoilta
allative		alfalle	alfoille
essive		alfana	alfoina
translative		alfaksi	alfoiksi
abessive		alfatta	alfoitta
instructive		—	alfoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of alfa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative alfani alfani accusative nom. alfani alfani gen. alfani genitive alfani alfojeni alfaini rare partitive alfaani alfojani inessive alfassani alfoissani elative alfastani alfoistani illative alfaani alfoihini adessive alfallani alfoillani ablative alfaltani alfoiltani allative alfalleni alfoilleni essive alfanani alfoinani translative alfakseni alfoikseni abessive alfattani alfoittani instructive — — comitative — alfoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative alfasi alfasi accusative nom. alfasi alfasi gen. alfasi genitive alfasi alfojesi alfaisi rare partitive alfaasi alfojasi inessive alfassasi alfoissasi elative alfastasi alfoistasi illative alfaasi alfoihisi adessive alfallasi alfoillasi ablative alfaltasi alfoiltasi allative alfallesi alfoillesi essive alfanasi alfoinasi translative alfaksesi alfoiksesi abessive alfattasi alfoittasi instructive — — comitative — alfoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative alfamme alfamme accusative nom. alfamme alfamme gen. alfamme genitive alfamme alfojemme alfaimme rare partitive alfaamme alfojamme inessive alfassamme alfoissamme elative alfastamme alfoistamme illative alfaamme alfoihimme adessive alfallamme alfoillamme ablative alfaltamme alfoiltamme allative alfallemme alfoillemme essive alfanamme alfoinamme translative alfaksemme alfoiksemme abessive alfattamme alfoittamme instructive — — comitative — alfoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative alfanne alfanne accusative nom. alfanne alfanne gen. alfanne genitive alfanne alfojenne alfainne rare partitive alfaanne alfojanne inessive alfassanne alfoissanne elative alfastanne alfoistanne illative alfaanne alfoihinne adessive alfallanne alfoillanne ablative alfaltanne alfoiltanne allative alfallenne alfoillenne essive alfananne alfoinanne translative alfaksenne alfoiksenne abessive alfattanne alfoittanne instructive — — comitative — alfoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative alfansa alfansa accusative nom. alfansa alfansa gen. alfansa genitive alfansa alfojensa alfainsa rare partitive alfaansa alfojaan alfojansa inessive alfassaan alfassansa alfoissaan alfoissansa elative alfastaan alfastansa alfoistaan alfoistansa illative alfaansa alfoihinsa adessive alfallaan alfallansa alfoillaan alfoillansa ablative alfaltaan alfaltansa alfoiltaan alfoiltansa allative alfalleen alfallensa alfoilleen alfoillensa essive alfanaan alfanansa alfoinaan alfoinansa translative alfakseen alfaksensa alfoikseen alfoiksensa abessive alfattaan alfattansa alfoittaan alfoittansa instructive — — comitative — alfoineen alfoinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• alfafetoproteiini
• alfahajoaminen
• alfahiukkanen
• alfahydroksihappo
• alfa-kierre
• alfalinoleenihappo
• alfanaaras
• alfanumeerinen
• alfareseptori
• alfasalpaaja
• alfasolu
• alfasäde
• alfasäteilijä
• alfasäteily
• alfatalassemia
• alfatokoferoli
• alfauros
• kolmialfareaktio

Further reading

• “alfa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

French

Etymology

From Arabic حَلْفَاء (ḥalfāʔ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /al.fa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: alpha

Noun

alfa m (plural alfas)

1. esparto

Related terms

• alfatier

Further reading

• “alfa”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Galician

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈalfɐ]

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Noun

alfa m (plural alfas)

1. alpha (Greek letter)

Etymology 2

Unknown origin. Possibly related to Latin ārefacere through Galician alfar. Or Proto-Indo-European *h₂elbʰós.

Noun

alfa f (plural alfas)

1. hot air expelled from an oven
2. excessively hot air or wind
3. blaze of the sun
4. flame

   Synonyms: chama, lapa, laparada

Derived terms

• alfada

Etymology 3

Verb

alfa

1. inflection of alfar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

References

• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “alfa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “alfa”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “alfa”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Hungarian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɒlfɒ]
• Hyphenation: al‧fa
• Rhymes: -fɒ

Noun

alfa (plural alfák)

1. alpha

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	alfa	alfák
accusative	alfát	alfákat
dative	alfának	alfáknak
instrumental	alfával	alfákkal
causal-final	alfáért	alfákért
translative	alfává	alfákká
terminative	alfáig	alfákig
essive-formal	alfaként	alfákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	alfában	alfákban
superessive	alfán	alfákon
adessive	alfánál	alfáknál
illative	alfába	alfákba
sublative	alfára	alfákra
allative	alfához	alfákhoz
elative	alfából	alfákból
delative	alfáról	alfákról
ablative	alfától	alfáktól
non-attributive possessive – singular	alfáé	alfáké
non-attributive possessive – plural	alfáéi	alfákéi

Possessive forms of alfa

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	alfám	alfáim
2nd person sing.	alfád	alfáid
3rd person sing.	alfája	alfái
1st person plural	alfánk	alfáink
2nd person plural	alfátok	alfáitok
3rd person plural	alfájuk	alfáik

Derived terms

Compound words

• alfa-sejt

Further reading

• alfa in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• alfa in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2024).

Icelandic

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Noun

alfa f (genitive singular ölfu, nominative plural ölfur) or
alfa n (genitive singular alfa, nominative plural ölfu)

1. alpha (Greek letter)

Declension

Declension of alfa (feminine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	alfa	alfan	ölfur	ölfurnar
accusative	ölfu	ölfuna	ölfur	ölfurnar
dative	ölfu	ölfunni	ölfum	ölfunum
genitive	ölfu	ölfunnar	alfa	alfanna

Declension of alfa (neuter)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	alfa	alfað	ölfu	ölfun
accusative	alfa	alfað	ölfu	ölfun
dative	alfa	alfanu	ölfum	ölfunum
genitive	alfa	alfans	alfa	alfanna

Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin. Doublet of alif.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (standard) /ˈal.fa/, (dialectal) /ˈal.pa/
• Rhymes: -fa, -a
• Hyphenation: al‧fa

Noun

alfa (plural alfa-alfa)

1. alpha:
   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. first, see alpha and omega

      Synonyms: pertama, permulaan

   3. (astronomy) Alpha, the brightest star in a constellation according to the Bayer designation
   4. (electronics) common-base current gain of a transistor in electronics
   5. (statistics) the significance level of a statistical test; the alpha level

Further reading

• “alfa” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Irish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Noun

alfa m (genitive singular alfa)

1. alpha (Greek letter)

Derived terms

• alfa-cháithnín m (“alpha particle”)
• alfa-gha m (“alpha wave”)
• alfa-héilics m (“alpha helix”)
• alfa-radaíocht (“alpha radiation”)
• alfa-rithim (“alpha rhythm”)
• alfa-thástáil (“alpha test”)
• alfa-uimhir (“alphanumeric”, noun)
• alfa-uimhriúil (“alphanumeric”, adjective)
• fireannach alfa (“alpha male”)

Etymology 2

From Arabic حَلْفَا (ḥalfā).

Noun

alfa m (genitive singular alfa)

1. esparto, halfa

Declension

Declension of alfa (fourth declension, no plural)

bare forms singular nominative alfa vocative a alfa genitive alfa dative alfa forms with the definite article singular nominative an t-alfa genitive an alfa dative leis an alfa don alfa

Mutation

Mutated forms of alfa

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
alfa	n-alfa	halfa	t-alfa

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “alfa”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “alfa”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “alfa”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2025

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈal.fa/
• Rhymes: -alfa
• Hyphenation: àl‧fa

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Noun

alfa m or f (invariable)

1. alpha, specifically:
   1. the name of the Greek-script letter Α/α
   2. The name of the Latin-script letter Ɑ/ɑ.; Latin alpha

Related terms

• alef
• alfabeto

Etymology 2

Wikispecies ^it Borrowed from Arabic حَلْفَا (ḥalfā).

Noun

alfa f (plural alfe)

1. a grass, Stipa tenacissima; esparto, halfa

See also

• sparto

Anagrams

• fala

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha) (sense 1), and Arabic حَلْفَا (ḥalfā) (sense 2).

Noun

alfa m (definite singular alfaen, indefinite plural alfaer, definite plural alfaene)

1. alpha, first letter of the Greek alphabet.
2. esparto grass, Stipa tenacissima

Synonyms

• (sense 2) alfagress

Derived terms

• alfastråling

References

• “alfa” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “alfa_1” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
• “alfa_2” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha) (sense 1), and Arabic حَلْفَا (ḥalfā) (sense 2).

Noun

alfa m (definite singular alfaen, indefinite plural alfaer or alfaar, definite plural alfaene or alfaane)

1. alpha, first letter of the Greek alphabet.
2. esparto grass, Stipa tenacissima

Synonyms

• (sense 2) alfagras

Derived terms

• alfastråling

References

• “alfa” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Norse

Noun

alfa

1. accusative/genitive plural of alfr

Polish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), from Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ /⁠ʾālep⁠/). First attested in 1533.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈal.fa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alfa
• Syllabification: al‧fa

Noun

alfa f (indeclinable)

1. alpha (Greek letter Α, α)

   umieć alfę z betą (Middle Polish) ― to be educated

Declension

Declension of alfa

	singular	plural
nominative	alfa	alfy
genitive	alfy	alf
dative	alfie	alfom
accusative	alfę	alfy
instrumental	alfą	alfami
locative	alfie	alfach
vocative	alfo	alfy

Or indeclinable.

Derived terms

nouns

• alfa i omega
• cząsteczka alfa
• cząstka alfa
• promieniowanie alfa
• samica alfa
• samiec alfa
• stan alfa
• wersja alfa

Further reading

• alfa in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• alfa in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• Barbara Rykiel-Kempf (16.06.2020) “ALFA”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century]
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “alfa”, in Słownik języka polskiego
• Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “alfa”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
• J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1900), “alfa”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 1, Warsaw, page 24

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• alpha (pre-standardization spelling)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin alpha, from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin. Doublet of alef.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈaw.fɐ/ [ˈaʊ̯.fɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈaw.fɐ/ [ˈaʊ̯.fɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈaw.fa/ [ˈaʊ̯.fa]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈal.fɐ/ [ˈaɫ.fɐ]

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -alfɐ, (Brazil) -awfɐ
• Hyphenation: al‧fa

Noun

alfa m (plural alfas)

1. alpha (the name of the first letter of the Greek alphabet (Α,  α), followed by beta)
2. (poetic) the beginning; the origin of something

   Synonyms: princípio, origem, começo

   Antonyms: ómega, ômega

Further reading

• “alfa”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
• “alfa”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
• “alfa”, in Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisboa: Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, 2001–2025
• “alfa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025
• “alfa”, in iDicionário Aulete (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha).

Noun

alfa m (uncountable)

1. alpha

Declension

Declension of alfa

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	alfa	alfaul
genitive-dative	alfa	alfaului
vocative	alfaule

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /âlfa/
• Hyphenation: al‧fa

Noun

ȁlfa f (Cyrillic spelling а̏лфа)

1. alpha; the Greek letter Α, α

Declension

Declension of alfa

	singular	plural
nominative	alfa	alfe
genitive	alfe	alfa
dative	alfi	alfama
accusative	alfu	alfe
vocative	alfo	alfe
locative	alfi	alfama
instrumental	alfom	alfama

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈalfa/ [ˈal.fa]

• Audio (Venezuela):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alfa
• Syllabification: al‧fa

Noun

alfa f (plural alfas)

1. alpha; the Greek letter Α, α

Usage notes

Alfa always takes the usual feminine articles la and una (la alfa, una alfa). This makes it an exception to the rule according to which feminine nouns beginning with stressed /ˈa/ frequently take the articles el and un otherwise reserved for masculine nouns (e.g., el alma, un alma).

Derived terms

• alfa y omega
• macho alfa
• onda alfa
• partícula alfa
• radiación alfa
• rayo alfa

Related terms

• álef

Further reading

• “alfa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Swedish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), of Semitic origin.

Noun

alfa n

1. alpha; the Greek letter Α, α

Anagrams

• fala