Α α

English (LSJ)

ἄλφα (q.v.), τό, indecl., first letter of the Gr. alphabet: as Numeral, ά

   A = εἷς and πρῶτος, but 'α = 1,000.

Greek (Liddell-Scott)

Α α: α, ἄλφα, τό, ἄκλ., πρῶτον γράμμα τοῦ Ἑλλ. ἀλφαβήτου: ὅθεν ὡς ἀριθμητικόν, α΄ = εἷς καὶ πρῶτος, ἀλλὰ ͵α = 1000 ἢ χιλιοστός, ή, όν· μετὰ διαιρετικῶν σημείων, (¨α) ἢ μετὰ γραμμῆς εὐθείας ἐπ’ αὐτοῦ (ᾱ) σημαίνει μύριοι (10,000). Ἥρων Νεωτ. 169, 4 καὶ ἀλλ. Εἰς χειρόγραφά τινα τὸ πρῶτος, η, ον, εὕρηται γεγραμμένον αος, αη, αον· ἡ γενικὴ αου, αης καὶ ἡ δοτ. αῳ, αῃ κτλ. - Τὸ μακρὸν ᾱ διαφέρει τοῦ βραχέος ᾰ, οὐχὶ κατὰ εἶδος, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ποσόν, ἦτο δὲ εὐφωνότατον τῶν ἄλλων μακρῶν φωνηέντων· «εὐφωνότατον τὸ ἄλφα ὅταν ἐντείνηται· λέγεται γὰρ ἀνοιγομένου τοῦ στόματος ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος ἄνω φερομένου πρὸς τὸν οὐρανόν», Διονυσ. Ἁ. τόμ. Ε΄, σ. 75, 12. ἔκδ. Ρεϊσκίου. Ἡ καταχρ. δίφθογγος ᾳ ἀντιστοιχεῖ πρὸς τὸ Λατινικὸν ā μακρόν.

English (Abbott-Smith)

Α, α, ἄλφα (q.v.), τό, indecl.,
alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet. As a numeral, ά = 1, α = 1000. As a prefix, it appears to have at least two and perhaps three distinct senses:
1.ἀ- (before a vowel, ἀν-) negative, as in ἄ-γνωστος, ἄ-δικος.
2.ἀ-, ἁ- copulative, indicating community and fellowship, as in ἁ-πλοῦς, ἀ-κολουθέω, ἀ-δελφός.
3.An intensive force (LS, s. α), as in ἀ-τενίζω is sometimes assumed (but v. Boisacq, s.v.).

English (Strong)

of Hebrew origin; the first letter of the alphabet; figuratively, only (from its use as a numeral) the first: Alpha. Often used (usually an, before a vowel) also in composition (as a contraction from ἄνευ) in the sense of privation; so, in many words, beginning with this letter; occasionally in the sense of union (as a contraction of ἅμα).

English (Thayer)

ἄλφα τό, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, opening the series which the letter omega ω closes. Hence, the expression ἐγώ εἰμί τό Α (L T Tr WH ἄλφα) καί τό Ω (Ὦ L WH), Rec., which is explained by the appended words ἡ ἀρχή καί τό τέλος, ὁ πρῶτος καί ὁ ἔσχατος, B. D. American edition, p. 73). Α, when prefixed to words as an inseparable syllable, is:
1. privative (στερητικόν), like the Latin in-, the English un-, giving a negative sense to the word to which it is prefixed, as ἀβαρής; or signifying what is contrary to it, as ἄτιμος, ἀτιμόω; before vowels generally αν(, as in ἀναίτιος.
2. copulative (ἀθροιστικόν), akin to the particle ἅμα (cf. Curtius, § 598), indicating community and fellowship, as in ἀδελφός, ἀκόλουθος. Hence, it is:
3. intensive (ἐπιτατικόν), strengthening the force of terms, like the Latin con in composition; as ἀτενίζω from ἀτενής (yet cf. Winer s Grammar, 100 (95)). This use, however, is doubted or denied now by many (e. g. Lob. Path. Element. i. 34 f). Cf. Kühner, i. 741, § 339 Anm. 5; (Jelf, § 342 δ.); Alexander Buttmann (1873) Gram. § 120 Anm. 11; (Donaldson, Gram., p. 334; New Crat. §§ 185,213; Liddell and Scott, under the word).