# α

| α | U+03B1, &#945; GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA |
| ← ΰ [U+03B0] | Greek and Coptic | β → [U+03B2] |
| 𝛼 | U+1D6FC, &#120572; MATHEMATICAL ITALIC SMALL ALPHA |
| ← 𝛻 [U+1D6FB] | Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols | 𝛽 → [U+1D6FD] |

## Translingual
### Symbol

α
* (electrodynamics) The fine structure constant.
** (in our Universe) a value of approximately 1/137 = 0.0072973525
* (classical mechanics) Represents angular acceleration.
    See Wikipedia article on angular acceleration for usage.
* (chemistry) Used in chemical nomenclature.
    α-lactam has a three-membered ring structure.
* (astronomy) Used to identify some bright star, usually the brightest star, of a constellation, for instance α-Centauri.
* (topology) Alexandroff compactification.
* (UPA) An open back rounded vowel (IPA [ɒ]).
* (graph theory) independence number

#### Derived terms

* α-naphthol
* α̈

#### See also

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

### Noun

α
* (astronomy) right ascension
    Coordinate term: δ

## Albanian
### Pronunciation

IPA: /a/

### Letter

α (a) (upper case Α, lower case α)
* The first letter of the Arvanitic Albanian Greek-script alphabet.

### See also

* Greek script letters (script appendix): Α α, Β β, B b, Γ γ, Γϳ γϳ, Δ δ, D d, Ε ε, Ε̱ ε̱, Ζ ζ, Ζ̇ ζ̇, Θ θ, Ι ι, Ϳ ϳ, Κ κ, Κ̇ κ̇, Λ λ, ΛΛ λλ, Λ̇ λ̇, Μ μ, Ν ν, Ν̇ ν̇, Ο ο, Π π, Ρ ρ, Ρ̇ ρ̇, Σ σ, Σ̈ σ̈, Τ τ, Ȣ ȣ, Υ υ, Φ φ, Χ χ, Χ̇ χ̇, ΤΣ τσ, ΤΣ̈ τσ̈, DΣ dσ, DΣ̈ dσ̈
* (Latin-script letters) shkronjë; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, Dh dh, E e, Ë ë, F f, G g, Gj gj, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, Ll ll, M m, N n, Nj nj, O o, P p, Q q, R r, Rr rr, S s, Sh sh, T t, Th th, U u, V v, X x, Xh xh, Y y, Z z, Zh zh

## Ancient Greek
### Etymology

Derived from its majuscule counterpart Α, from the Phoenician letter 𐤀, aleph.

### Letter

α • (a) (lowercase, uppercase Α)
* Lower-case alpha (ἄλφα), the first letter of the ancient Greek alphabet. It represented the open front or central unrounded vowel /a/. It is followed by β.

#### Derived terms

See also alpha
* α’ (a’), ,α (,a)
* a, A (Roman)
* а, А (Cyrillic)
* 𐌰 (Gothic)
* ⲁ, Ⲁ (Coptic)

### See also

* (Greek-script letters) Α α, Β β, Γ γ, Δ δ, Ε ε, Ζ ζ, Η η, Θ θ, Ι ι, Κ κ, Λ λ, Μ μ, Ν ν, Ξ ξ, Ο ο, Π π, Ρ ρ, Σ σ ς, Τ τ, Υ υ, Φ φ, Χ χ, Ψ ψ, Ω ω
* (non-Classical letters) Ϝ (W) ϝ (w), Ͷ ͷ, Ͱ (H) ͱ (h), Ϻ (S) ϻ (s), Ϟ, ϟ, Ϙ (Q) ϙ (q), Ͳ (S) ͳ (s)
* (punctuation) · ;
* (diacritics) ᾿ ῾ ◌́ ◌̀ ῀ ¨

## Greek
### Etymology 1

Derived from its Ancient Greek majuscule counterpart Α (A, “Alpha”), in turn from the Phoenician letter 𐤀 (“aleph”).

#### Letter

α • (a) (lower case, upper case Α)
* 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΄ (“one, 1”)
* ,α (,a, “one thousand, 1,000”)

##### See also

* Appendix:Greek alphabet

### Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek ἆ (â).

#### Interjection

α! • (a!)
* 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?
* 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!
* Expresses anger or threat; oh:
    Α που να σε πάρει ο διάολος!A pou na se párei o diáolos!Oh, the devil take 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!
* Expresses impatience; oh, ah:
    Α δεν μπορώ να περιμένω άλλο!A den boró na periméno állo!Ah, I can't wait any longer!
* Expresses confirmation of a fact; oh, ah:
    Α ναι βεβαίως ήταν αυτός!A nai vevaíos ítan aftós!Ah, yes, of course it was him!
* Expresses desire against; oh, ah:
    Α όχι αυτός πάλι!A óchi aftós páli!Oh, not him again!
* 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!
* 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 (ái) < άε (áe) from Ancient Greek ἄγε sg (áge, “go!”, pres.imp.) (with deletion of ‑γ-) of verb ἄγω (ágō, “I lead”). Also see etymologies of άντε, άιντε, άμε.

#### Alternative forms

* άι (ái) (uncontracted)
* and see: άντε for interchangeable interjections for dismissal

#### Interjection

α • (a)
* (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

#### References

* ↑ α, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language
* ↑ α - Babiniotis, Georgios (2002) Λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας: […] [Dictionary of Modern Greek (language)] (in Greek), 2nd edition, Athens: Kentro Lexikologias [Lexicology Centre], 1st edition 1998, →ISBN.

## Tsakonian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /a/

### Etymology 1

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

#### Article

α (a) f sg
* feminine nominative singular of ο (o)

##### Declension

$^1$ The final "ν" is preserved before vowels, and the plosive/affricate consonants: κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ $^2$ 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 (script appendix): Α α, Α̈ α̈, Ά ά, Β β, Γ γ, Δ δ, Ε ε, Έ έ, Ζ ζ, Ζ̌ ζ̌, Ζ̑ ζ̑, Η η, Ή ή, Θ θ, Ι ι, Ί ί, Ϊ ϊ, ΐ, Κ κ, Κ̀ κ̔, Λ λ, Λ̣ λ̣, Λ̑ λ̑, Μ μ, Ν ν, Ν̇ ν̇, Ν̑ ν̑, Ξ ξ, Ο ο, Ό ό, Π π, Π̀ π̔, Ρ ρ, Σ σ~ς, Σ̌ σ̌~ς̌, Σ̑ σ̑~ς̑, Τ τ, Τ̀ τ̔, Τζ τζ, Τσ τσ~τς, Υ υ, Ύ ύ, Ϋ ϋ, ΰ, Φ φ, Χ χ, Ψ ψ, Ω ω, Ώ ώ