alphabet

plural alphabets

1. The set of letters used when writing in a language.

   The Greek alphabet has only twenty-four letters.

   1 more example

   In the first year of school, pupils are taught to recite the alphabet.

2. 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.)
   1. A writing system in which there are letters for the consonant and vowel phonemes. (Contrast e.g. abjad.)
3. computerA typically finite set of distinguishable symbols.

   Let L be a regular language over the alphabet #92;Sigma.

4. AfricaHong KongIndiaMalaysiaSingaporedialectalnonstandardAn individual letter of an alphabet; an alphabetic character.

   The notes are named with the first seven alphabets.

   4 more examples

   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

   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

   In order to write and read Sidama language 30 alphabets are needed. Namely: a,b,c,d, dh,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,ny, o,p,q,r,s,sh,t,u, v,w,y,x, and z. Ny and Z are rarely used.

   2026 September 28 (last accessed), “Sidama Language and Culture”, in The Sidama Concern, archived from the original on 25 Apr 2001

5. 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

6. InternetgovernmentAn agent of the FBI, the CIA, or another such government agency.

present singular third person alphabets · participle present alphabeting · participle past alphabeted · past alphabeted

1. rareTo designate by the letters of the alphabet; to arrange alphabetically.

   Synonyms: alphabetize