What does alif mean?
Alif is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, written as the simple vertical stroke ا. It occupies a special place in the writing system: it can represent a glottal stop at the beginning of a syllable or word, and it commonly serves as the base on which hamza is seated or over which the long vowel /aː/ is marked. Because it is both the first letter and among the most frequently used in Arabic text, learners of the script almost always encounter it first. The word entered English from Arabic, ultimately tracing back through Aramaic to the same Semitic source that produced Hebrew's aleph, the letter that also gave us, via Greek alpha, the very concept of an 'alphabet.' Alif appears chiefly in scholarly, linguistic, religious, and typographic contexts rather than casual conversation, but it remains essential vocabulary for anyone studying the Arabic script, Islamic texts, or the history of alphabets.
nounThe first letter of the Arabic alphabet, representing a glottal stop or serving as a seat for the long vowel ā.
- The first letter (ا) of the Arabic alphabet, used to represent a glottal stop and as a carrier for the long vowel /aː/.
"The word 'Allah' begins with the letter alif."
"Students learning Arabic script usually start by mastering the vertical stroke known as alif."
"In transliteration, the long vowel carried by alif is typically rendered as 'ā'."
Standard pluralization; used when referring to multiple instances of the letter.
"The page was filled with rows of alifs in varying calligraphic styles."
Every one of the hundreds of millions of words written in Arabic begins — or refuses to begin — with a single stroke called alif.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of alif
The English word 'alif' comes directly from Arabic alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. The Arabic name itself descends from a common Semitic root shared with Hebrew aleph and Aramaic alef, all denoting the same initial letter of their respective scripts. The word has been borrowed into European languages for use in linguistic and orientalist scholarship since at least the early modern period.
Word family
Usage notes
A specialized term encountered mainly in discussions of Arabic language, calligraphy, linguistics, and Quranic studies; it is not part of everyday English vocabulary.
Don't confuse with
Aleph is the corresponding first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, while alif is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet.