Alphas

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈæɫ.fəz/

Definitions

1. A term often used in social structures to denote the top individuals in hierarchies
2. Referring to dominant individuals in animal groups, particularly among species such as wolves
3. Describing leaders in competitive settings, indicating the most assertive or influential members of a community

Etymology: "Alphas" is simply the plural of "alpha," the first letter of the Greek alphabet, so its story is really the story of that letter. The Greeks borrowed the letter from the Phoenicians, whose name for it, "aleph," meant "ox," and the letter's earliest ancestor was a sign that pictured an ox's head. Greek speakers took the Phoenician sign and kept its shape as a symbol, giving it the name "alpha," and the same ancient sign also gave rise to the Hebrew and Arabic first letters, "aleph" and "alif," which are doublets of the Greek word. The plural "alphas" has a meaning that is quite separate from the letter. In English it is used for dominant members of animal groups, especially pack animals such as wolves, where the alpha is the leader that other members defer to. This use draws on the everyday sense of "alpha" as "first" or "top," so the Greek letter's place at the head of its alphabet became a metaphor for rank at the head of a group.