alfa

alpha

noun AHL-fah Rare

Origin: From Greek alpha, from Phoenician aleph (ox).

Usage Note

Alfa is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and is used as a prefix or standalone noun across science, linguistics, and everyday speech. In physics, partícula alfa (alpha particle) refers to a helium nucleus. In informal Spanish, alfa can describe the dominant individual of a group — el macho alfa — mirroring the English 'alpha male' usage, though this has a somewhat colloquial register.

Examples

"Las partículas alfa tienen carga positiva."

Natural Translation

Alpha particles have a positive charge.

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