ALPHA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does alpha mean? 

• ALPHA (noun)
  The noun ALPHA has 2 senses:

1. the 1st letter of the Greek alphabet

2. the beginning of a series or sequence

  Familiarity information: ALPHA used as a noun is rare.

• ALPHA (adjective)
  The adjective ALPHA has 2 senses:

1. first in order of importance

2. early testing stage of a software or hardware product

  Familiarity information: ALPHA used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALPHA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The 1st letter of the Greek alphabet

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("alpha" is a kind of...):

alphabetic character; letter; letter of the alphabet (the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech)

Holonyms ("alpha" is a member of...):

Greek alphabet (the alphabet used by ancient Greeks)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The beginning of a series or sequence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end

Hypernyms ("alpha" is a kind of...):

start (the beginning of anything)

Derivation:

alpha (first in order of importance)

• ALPHA (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

First in order of importance

Context example:

the alpha star in a constellation is the brightest or main star

Similar:

important; of import (of great significance or value)

Derivation:

alpha (the beginning of a series or sequence)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Early testing stage of a software or hardware product

Context example:

alpha version

Similar:

explorative; exploratory (serving in or intended for exploration or discovery)

 Context examples 

This includes inducing synthesis of anti-inflammatory protein IkappaB-alpha and inhibiting synthesis of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB).

(Methylprednisolone Acetate, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes alpha-1,3-mannosyl-glycoprotein 4-beta-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase C protein, plays a role in post-translational protein modification.

(MGAT4C wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

MHC Class-II Proteins are non-covalently linked polymorphic alpha/beta transmembrane glycoproteins.

(MHC Class II Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

Michellamine B also inhibits human DNA polymerases alpha and beta.

(Michellamine B, NCI Thesaurus)

An organic salt containing a one to one ratio of methenamine, a heterocyclic organic compound, and mandelic acid, an aromatic alpha hydroxy acid, used in the treatment of urinary tract infections.

(Methenamine Mandelate, NCI Thesaurus)

This includes downregulation of resistin and adipoQ, and induction of TNF-alpha.

(Metabolic Syndrome Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

This allele, which encodes alpha-2A adrenergic receptor protein, is involved in both the regulation of neurotransmitter release from sympathetic nerves and adrenergic neurons in the central nervous system.

(ADRA2A wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes alpha-2B adrenergic receptor protein, plays a role in the regulation of neurotransmitter release and translation.

(ADRA2B wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes alpha-2C adrenergic receptor protein, plays a role in the inhibition of G protein-coupled receptor-mediated adenylate cyclase activity.

(ADRA2C wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent may be combined with immunomodulatory cytokines such as interferon alpha.

(Melanoma Theraccine, NCI Thesaurus)