aleph

A1L1E1P3H4
/ˈɑˌlɛf//ˈɑˌlɪf/

noun

The first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet, and its descendants in descended Semitic scripts, such as Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ, ʾaleph), Aramaic 𐡀 (ʾ), Classical Syriac ܐ ('ālaph), Hebrew א (aleph) and Arabic ا (ʾalif).

“The axiom of choice is equivalent to the proposition that every infinite cardinal is an aleph.”

OriginHebrew אָלֶף →
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

nounaleph (plural alephs)

plural alephs · alternative alef · alternative alif · alternative alaph · alternative olaph

  1. The first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet, and its descendants in descended Semitic scripts, such as Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ, ʾaleph), Aramaic 𐡀 (ʾ), Classical Syriac ܐ ('ālaph), Hebrew א (aleph) and Arabic ا (ʾalif).
  2. mathematicsThe cardinality of an infinite well-ordered (or well-orderable) set.

    The axiom of choice is equivalent to the proposition that every infinite cardinal is an aleph.

Origin

  1. Hebrewאָלֶף
  2. Englishaleph

Borrowed from Hebrew אָלֶף (álef). Doublet of alpha and alif.

More words from Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic أَلِف, ا
  • أَلِف (ʔalif)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • اfirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Catalan àlef
  • àleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Chinese Mandarin 阿列夫, 阿利夫
  • 阿列夫 (ālièfū)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • 阿利夫 (ālìfu)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • 艾利夫 (àilìfu)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Finnish alef
  • aleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
French aleph, alef
  • alephfirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • aleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
German Aleph, Alef
  • Alephfirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • Aleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Greek άλεφ
  • άλεφ (álef)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Hebrew אָלֶף, א
  • אָלֶף (álef)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • אfirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Hindi आलेफ़
  • आलेफ़ (ālef)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Italian alef
  • aleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Japanese アレフ, アリフ
  • アレフ (arefu)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • アリフ (arifu)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Korean 알레프, 알리프
  • 알레프 (allepeu)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • 알리프 (allipeu)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Malay alif
  • aliffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Polish alef
  • aleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Portuguese alef
  • aleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Russian а́леф, а́лиф
  • а́леф (álef)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • а́лиф (álif)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Spanish álef
  • áleffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Thai อาเลฟ
  • อาเลฟfirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Turkish elif
  • eliffirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Urdu اَلِف, ا
  • اَلِف (alif)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
  • اfirst letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Yiddish אַלף
  • אַלף (alef)first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet and descendant script
Cite this entry
APA

aleph. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aleph

MLA

“aleph.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aleph. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “aleph,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aleph.

Source: aleph on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.