The Word Alphabet Comes From

Definition

a set of messages in a particular order that are used for writing a language

Origin and usage

The discussion alphabet comes from the Greek word 'alphabētos', a combination of 'alpha' meaning 'the beginning', and 'beta' meaning 'the second of many things'. Its employ to draw a set of messages is from the 1570s although it had been used from the early 15th century to refer to something learned through reading.

Examples

Alphabet refers to a series of letters arranged in a specific gild that are used for reading and writing a language. Each language has its own alphabet, yet many languages share parts of a single letter of the alphabet writing system. There are more than 3,800 languages on Earth that apply an alphabet.

Of all the languages in the world, nigh can be included in one of the post-obit alphabet systems:

• Latin alphabet: used in many Western countries, English language-speaking nations and a host of other languages around the earth
• Cyrillic alphabet: used in Russian and Slavic languages
• Greek alphabet
• Arabic alphabet
• Hebrew alphabet
• Devanagari alphabet: used in Indian languages

Some aboriginal alphabets, like Egyptian hieroglyphs and other early on languages, relied not on a serial of letters simply on pictures and symbols. These were arranged in a certain guild to tell stories, compose messages, decorate homes and objects, and express significant. Each symbol in the alphabet represented a word, phrase or idea that others could easily understand.

Quotations

"I didn't learn the alphabet until I was 11."

(Roger Moore)

"Human being society, the world, and the whole of flesh is to be found in the alphabet."

(Victor Hugo)

"Blessings be the inventor of the alphabet, pen and printing press! Life would exist – to me in all events – a terrible affair without books."

(Lucy Maud Montgomery)

View the full definition in the Macmillan Lexicon.

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