| 释义 |
al·pha
I. \ˈalfə, ˈau̇fə\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, from Greek, from a Phoenician word akin to Hebrew āleph, literally, ox
1. : the first letter of the Greek alphabet — symbol Αor α — see alphabet table
2. : the first (as in sequence, order, classification) : beginning
< the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end — Revelations 22:13 (Revised Standard Version) >
— compare omega
3. : an alpha particle or alpha ray
II. adjective
or α- \“\
1. : of or relating to one of two or more closely related chemical substances
< α-yohimbine >
— used somewhat arbitrarily to specify ordinal relationship or to specify a particular physical form, especially an allotropic modification (as in α-iron), or an isomeric or sometimes polymeric or stereoisomeric form (as in α-d-glucose); abbreviation sometimes a-
2. : first in position from or closest in the structure of an organic molecule to a particular group or atom or having a structure characterized by such a position
< the alpha positions of furan >
< α-amino acids >
< α-naphthol >
3. : producing green pigment when grown on blood media — used of certain hemolytic streptococci
4. : first in order of brightness — used of a star in a constellation
III. noun
1. : alpha wave
2. : an alpha individual (as in a wolf pack)
IV. adjective
: socially dominant especially in a group of animals
< challenging the alpha wolf in their pack — Suzanne Core >
V. \ˈalfə, ˈau̇fə\ adjective
Etymology: by shortening
: alphabetic
< an alpha sort > |