What does alphabetically mean?
'Alphabetically' is an adverb meaning in the order of the alphabet, used to describe how things are arranged, sorted, filed, or listed. It is one of the most familiar ordering words in English, appearing wherever information must be organised for easy retrieval: library catalogues, phone directories, indexes, glossaries, contact lists, and databases all typically arrange their contents alphabetically. The word derives from 'alphabet', which itself traces back to the Greek letters alpha and beta — the first two letters of the Greek writing system that gave its name to the sequence we still use today. Because alphabetic order is arbitrary with respect to meaning (it depends on letter sequence rather than any logical relationship between items), arranging things alphabetically is a convention of convenience rather than of significance; yet it remains one of the most universally understood systems of organisation across languages that use alphabetic scripts. The word is neutral in tone, equally at home in casual conversation and formal documentation.
adverbIn accordance with the order of the alphabet; arranged or proceeding according to alphabetical sequence.
- Arranged, sorted, or organized according to the conventional order of the letters of the alphabet.
"The library catalogued its new acquisitions alphabetically by author's surname."
"The index entries were listed alphabetically for easy reference."
"She filed the correspondence alphabetically by sender."
The word 'alphabet' itself comes from alpha and beta — the first two Greek letters — so every time you sort something alphabetically, you're literally using the ancient Greeks' A-B-C.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of alphabetically
The word 'alphabetically' derives from 'alphabet', which entered English via Latin from Greek. The Greek term 'alphabētos' was formed from the names of its first two letters, alpha and beta, reflecting how the Greeks adopted and adapted the Phoenician writing system around the eighth century BCE. The adjective 'alphabetical' and the derived adverb 'alphabetically' developed in English as conventions of systematic arrangement became widespread, particularly from the early modern period onward as printed books, indexes, and reference works standardised alphabetic ordering.
Related word forms
How alphabetically is actually used
A neutral, functional adverb common in everyday and professional contexts such as libraries, databases, directories, and indexes. It carries no particular formality or informality and is understood identically in British and American English.
Easily confused with alphabetically
'Alphabetical' is an adjective describing something ordered by the alphabet, while 'alphabetically' is the adverb describing how an action such as sorting or arranging is performed.