different between alpha vs delta

English

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek ???? (álpha), the first letter of the Greek alphabet, from the Phoenician ????? (?, “aleph”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ælf?/, [?æ?.f?]

Noun

alpha (countable and uncountable, plural alphas)

1. The name of the first letter of the Greek alphabet (?,  ?), followed by beta. In the Latin alphabet it is the predecessor to A.
2. Latin alpha: the Latin letter ? (minuscule: ?).
3. (sciences) The name of the symbols ? and ? used in science and mathematics, often interchangeable with the symbols when used as a prefix.

   I will attempt to make an alpha particle ("?-particle") with the Large Hadron Collider.

4. (finance) The return of a given asset or portfolio adjusted for systematic risk.
5. A person, especially a male, who is dominant, successful and attractive; (see alpha male).
   • 2008, Faye Flam, The Score: How the Quest for Sex Has Shaped the Modern Man, Avery (2008), ?ISBN, unnumbered page:

     Being a beta male in a species with alphas doesn't mean you have to sit out the mating game.

   • 2008, The New Black Lace Book of Women's Sexual Fantasies (ed. Mitzi Szereto), Black Lace (2008), ?ISBN, page 38:

     I'm still turned on by alpha males. I think there are only a couple of other men that turn me on . . . ones that are clearly not alphas.

   • 2009, Martin G. Groder & Pat Webster, Winning at Love: The Alpha Male's Guide to Relationship Success, Bascom Hill Books (2009), ?ISBN, page ix:

     This book is primarily for alpha males, or “top dogs.” We'll talk more about that later; but let's just say that if you are a man and successful in the world of trade, business, or profession, most likely you are an alpha, or you have been trained to act like an alpha.

6. (informal, abbreviation) Short for alphabet. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
7. (software engineering) The first versions of a program, usually only available to the developer, and only tested by the developer.
8. (aviation) Short for angle of attack.
9. (computer graphics) The level of translucency of a color, as determined by the alpha channel.
10. (statistics) The significance level of a statistical test; the alpha level.
11. (fandom slang) In omegaverse fiction, a person of a sexually-dominant (and sometimes secondary) gender/sex that is driven by biology, magic, or other means to bond with an omega, with males of this type often having canine-like genitalia.
    • 2013, Kristina Busse, "Pon Farr, Mpreg, Bonds, and the Rise of the Omegaverse", in Fic: Why Fanfiction Is Taking Over the World (ed. Anne Jamison), page 317:

      Sometimes the alphas and omegas are rare, sometimes they are only males, sometimes they have altered sex organs.

    • 2017, Marianne Gunderson, "What is an omega? Rewriting sex and gender in omegaverse fanfiction", thesis submitted to the University of Oslo, page 11:

      Sherlock realizes that John, despite being an alpha, sees and loves Sherlock for who he is, “a brilliant, mad, nutter of a man,” instead of only wanting him for his reproductive functions, his ability to become pregnant.

    • 2018, Laura Campillo Arnaiz, "When the Omega Empath Met the Alpha Doctor: An Analysis of Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics in the Hannibal Fandom", in The Darker Side of Slash Fan Fiction (ed. Ashton Spacey), page 130:

      Contrary to the typical scenario expected in a dark A/B/O story, in this story both Hannibal and Will are alphas—but Hannibal wants Will to be his omega; subservient and submissive to him only.

Coordinate terms

(angle of attack): beta, gamma, theta

Derived terms

Related terms

• alphabet

Translations

See also

• Alpha (investment) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Adjective

alpha (not comparable)

1. Designates the first in an order of precedence.

   I am the alpha male.

2. (of person, object or action) exhibiting characteristics of the alpha male/female archetype.
   • 2015, Life Is Strange, Square Enix:

     And thank you. Seriously. I'll call you later.
     You better. I'm feeling pretty alpha now.
     Yes, you are.

3. (astronomy) Designates some bright star, usually the brightest star, of a constellation.

   When space travel becomes feasible, I plan to visit Alpha Centauri.

Derived terms

Anagrams

• alaph, phaal

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /al.fa/

Noun

alpha m (plural alpha)

1. alpha (Greek letter)

Further reading

• “alpha” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Interlingua

Noun

alpha

1. alpha

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ???? (álpha).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?al.p?a/, [?ä??p?ä]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?al.fa/, [??lf?]

Noun

alpha n (indeclinable)

1. alpha

References

• alpha in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• alpha in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• alpha in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• alpha in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

• (river): from the triangular shape of the majuscule Greek letter delta ?
• (USSF): from the delta wing, symbol of the USSF, a triangular wing, shaped like the majuscule Greek letter delta ?

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?lt?/, [?d??t?]
• Rhymes: -?lt?

Noun

delta (plural deltas)

1. The fourth letter of the modern Greek alphabet ?, ?.
2. A landform at the mouth of a river where it empties into a body of water.

3. The letter D in the ICAO spelling alphabet, which assigns words to letters of the alphabet.
4. (mathematics) The symbol ?.
5. (computing, informal) A small but noticeable effect. Compare epsilon.

6. (computing) The set of differences between two versions of a file.

7. (physics, engineering) A change in a quantity, likely from "d" for "difference".

8. (surveying) The angle subtended at the center of a circular arc.
9. A type of cargo bike that has one wheel in front and two in back.
10. (electrical, often attributive) The closed figure produced by connecting three coils or circuits successively, end for end, especially in a three-phase system.

11. (finance) The rate of change in an option value with respect to the underlying asset's price.
12. (chemistry) A value in delta notation indicating the relative abundances of isotopes.
13. (US, military, U.S. Space Force) A military unit, nominally headed by a colonel, equivalent to a USAF operations wing, or an army regiment.
14. (astronomy) a star that is usually the fourth brightest of a constellation.
15. Delta

Synonyms

• (USSF): garrison (a support wing equivalent)

Hypernyms

• (measure of derivative price sensitivity): Greeks (includes list of coordinate terms)

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• deltoid
• Appendix: IPA examples

Verb

delta (third-person singular simple present deltas, present participle deltaing, simple past and past participle deltaed)

1. (cryptography) This term needs a definition. Please help out and add a definition, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
2. (computing) This term needs a definition. Please help out and add a definition, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Anagrams

• Adlet, adlet, atled, dalet, dealt, lated, taled

Asturian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Noun

delta f (plural deltes)

1. delta (Greek letter)

Noun

delta m (plural deltes)

1. delta (landform at the mouth of a river)

Catalan

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /?d?l.t?/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?d?l.t?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /?del.ta/

Noun

delta f (plural deltes)

1. delta; the Greek letter ? (lowercase ?).
2. (geography) A delta.

Derived terms

• metall delta

Czech

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta), which is probably of Semitic origin.

Noun

delta n (indeclinable)

1. Delta (Greek letter ?).
2. (physics) Kind of rays consisting of secondary electrons with enough energy to escape a significant distance away from the primary radiation beam and produce further ionization (delta ray).
3. Having the shape of the Greek letter ?.

Derived terms

• deltový

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta). Originally used for the delta of the Nile, because its forked shape resembled the Greek letter ?. The word is probably of Semitic origin.

Noun

delta f

1. (geography) delta (forked mouth of a river)

Declension

Anagrams

• datel
• datle

References

Danish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Noun

delta n (singular definite deltaet, plural indefinite deltaer)

1. a river delta
2. delta (the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, ?, ?.)

Declension

References

• “delta” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?l.ta?/
• Hyphenation: del?ta

Noun

delta f (plural delta's, diminutive deltaatje n)

1. The Greek letter delta.
2. A river delta, a network of one or more rivers and tributaries pouring out into a larger body of water.

   Synonym: rivierdelta

Hypernyms

• mond
• monding
• riviermond
• riviermonding

Coordinate terms

• estuarium

Derived terms

• deltagebied
• Deltagebied
• Deltaplan
• Deltawerk
• rivierdelta

Finnish

(index d)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?delt(?)?/, [?de?lt?(?)?]
• Rhymes: -elt?
• Syllabification: del?ta

Noun

delta

1. delta (Greek letter)

Declension

Derived terms

• deltafunktio
• deltalihas
• deltasiipi

See also

• suisto

Anagrams

• dalet

French

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?l.ta/

Noun

delta m (plural delta or deltas)

1. delta (Greek letter)

Noun

delta m (plural deltas)

1. delta (geographical feature)

Further reading

• “delta” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Galician

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Noun

delta m (plural deltas)

1. delta (Greek letter)
2. delta (landform at the mouth of a river)

Hungarian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?d?lt?]
• Hyphenation: del?ta
• Rhymes: -t?

Noun

delta (plural delták)

1. delta (Greek letter)
2. delta (landform at the mouth of a river)

Declension

Icelandic

Noun

delta f (genitive singular deltu, nominative plural deltur)

1. delta (Greek letter)

Declension

Indonesian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?d?lta]
• Hyphenation: dèl?ta

Noun

delta

1. delta,
   1. The fourth letter of the modern Greek alphabet ?, ?.
   2. (geography) A landform at the mouth of a river where it empties into a body of water.

Further reading

• “delta” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) Daring, Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 2016.

Italian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: dèl?ta

Noun

delta m (invariable)

1. delta (all senses)

Derived terms

• ala a delta
• deltaplano

Latvian

Noun

delta f (4th declension)

1. delta (Greek letter)
2. delta (landform at the mouth of a river)

Declension

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Noun

delta m (definite singular deltaen, indefinite plural deltaer, definite plural deltaene)

1. the Greek letter ?, ? (delta)

Etymology 2

Noun

delta n (definite singular deltaet, indefinite plural delta or deltaer, definite plural deltaene)

1. a river delta

Derived terms

• elvedelta

Etymology 3

From del (“part”) + ta (“take”); i.e. to take (a) part in something; to partake in something

Verb

delta (imperative delta, present tense deltar, passive deltas, simple past deltok, past participle deltatt, present participle deltakende)

1. to participate; to partake

Related terms

• deltagelse, deltakelse
• deltager, deltaker

References

• “delta” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From del (“part”) + ta (“take”); i.e. to take (a) part in something

Alternative forms

• deltaka, deltake (long forms)

Verb

delta (present tense deltek or deltar, past tense deltok, past participle delteke or deltatt, passive infinitive delteken, present participle deltakande, imperative delta)

1. to participate

Related terms

• deltakar

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Noun

delta m (definite singular deltaen, indefinite plural deltaer or deltaar, definite plural deltaene or deltaane)

2. the Greek letter ?, ? (delta)

Etymology 3

A specialized use of delta (Etymology 2).

Noun

delta n (definite singular deltaet, indefinite plural delta, definite plural deltaa)

2. a river delta

Derived terms

• elvedelta

References

• “delta” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Polish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?l.ta/

Noun

delta f

1. delta
2. (mathematics, colloquial) discriminant

Declension

Portuguese

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: del?ta

Noun

delta m (plural deltas)

1. delta (Greek letter)
2. delta (landform at the mouth of a river)

Derived terms

• asa-delta

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dêlta/
• Hyphenation: del?ta

Noun

d?lta f (Cyrillic spelling ??????)

1. delta, the Greek letter ?, ?

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?delta/, [?d?el?.t?a]
• Hyphenation: del?ta

Noun

delta f (plural deltas)

1. Greek letter delta

Derived terms

Noun

delta m (plural deltas)

1. (geography) a delta

Swedish

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek ????? (délta).

Noun

delta n

1. the Greek letter ?, ? (delta)
2. a river delta

Declension

Etymology 2

From del (“part”) + ta(ga) (“take”); i.e. to take (a) part in something

Alternative forms

• deltaga (dated)

Pronunciation

Verb

delta (present deltar, preterite deltog, supine deltagit, imperative delta)

1. to participate

Conjugation

Related terms

• deltagare

Anagrams

• delat, talde