Omega

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈəʊmɪɡə/

Definitions

1. The concluding letter of the Greek alphabet signifies the endpoint in various contexts, often symbolizing finality or limits in numerous disciplines, including physics and engineering
2. The last character in the Greek alphabet used to denote an endpoint or the ultimate in various fields ; a representation of the conclusion or supreme boundary in concepts and practices
3. A Greek alphabetical letter appearing at the end, often used to mark conclusion or closure ; an emblem expressing the utmost or final stage in theories and applications

Etymology: Omega was not named for its shape or its role at the end of the alphabet. The Greeks called the letter "ô mega," meaning "great o," and the name marks a contrast with omicron, which was "little o." Both letters stood for vowel sounds, and the difference between them was one of length: omicron was short and omega was long. The pair of names was a way of telling two similar-looking vowels apart. The name passed into Middle English from Ancient Greek, and the sense "last letter of the Greek alphabet" carried the word's meaning across into English. Because omega sat at the end of the Greek alphabet, it came to stand for finality, most famously in the phrase "alpha and omega," a biblical image of beginning and end, and English later used the word in that figurative sense for an ending or a final point.

Synonyms: last, final

Antonyms: alpha, beginning