alpha (alfa)

[L., of the first letter, meaning an or seen The first letter in the Greek alphabet (A, a ), answering to A. Hence-2. The first; the beginning: as in the phrase " alpha and omega," the beginning and the end, the first and the last, omega being the last letter of the Greek alphabet. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord. Rev. i. 8. 3. As a cla ifier: (a) In astron., the chief star of a constellation. (b) In chem., the first same organic compound, as alpha - naphthol, in distinction from beta - naphthol. (c) In nat. hist., the first subspecies, etc. alphabet (al'fa-bet), n. [First in early mod. E. (earlier expre ed by a - b - c, q. v.); = D. alfa bet = G. alphabet = Sw. Dan. alfabet = F. al phabet = Sp. Pg. alfa be to, Pg. also alpha be to, = It. alfa be to = Ru . alfabetű = Pol. alfabet, etc., From the character of the alphabet employed, the science of Greek epigraphy profe es to be able to determine approximately the date and the place of origin of inscriptions. Isaac Taylor , The Alphabet, II. 3. 2. Any series of characters intended to be used in writing instead of the usual letters, as the series of dashes, dots, etc., used in the transmi ion of telegraphic me ages.-3. First elements; simplest rudiments: as, not to know the alphabet of a science. In the conditions of the Eternal life, this genius had been obliged to set itself to learning the alphabet of Spir itual truth. E. S. Phelps, Beyond the Gates. Alphabet-blocks, or letters of the alphabet toy blocks printed of wood, on each. having Epistoloa letter graphic alphabet. See epistolographic. Morse alpha IMG:content-0561.png:[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small] bet (from its inven tor, Profe or S. F. B. Morse), in teleg., a system of symbols, consisting of dashes and dots, to be used in telegraphic me ages where Morse's self recording instrument, called the indicator, is employed. (See ind i cat or.) The dash and dot are combined in different ways to indicate the different letters: thus, one dot (.) means ans E; a dash (-), T; a dot and a dash (-), A; a dash and three dots (...), B; etc. The same system can be used with instru ments employing a magnetic needle (see telegraph ), a right hand deflection of the needle corresponding to a dash and a left-hand to a dot. The international alphabet, which is used in Europe, differs from the Morse in the formation of a few letters. Military signaling is often effected on the same principle by long or short wavings of a flag, or by sun-flashes by means of a heliostat, etc., the long meaning a dash and the short a dot.