ALPHA

[Α, α].

The first letter in the Greek alphabet, from which the English “a” is derived. It originates from the Hebrew ʼaʹleph but differs in that alʹpha is a vowel while ʼaʹleph is a consonant.

The vowel alʹpha can be either long or short; however, at the time of Christ this distinction was disappearing.

It appears three times in the Bible in conjunction with o·meʹga to make up a title referring to Jehovah.—Rev. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13; see ALPHA AND OMEGA; ALPHABET.