aleph-bet

noun

variants or alef-bet
ˈä-ˌlef-ˈbet How to pronounce aleph-bet (audio)
-ləf-
: the Hebrew alphabet
In Hebrew each letter in the aleph-bet has a numerical value.—Loris DeMarco, Sweeter Than Honey, 2008
But an acrostic composition, which presupposes not only the invention of the Hebrew alef-bet but also a literate milieu, was intended for appreciation in written form, whereby appeal is made to the eye.—Dictionary of the Old Testament, 2008

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Modern Hebrew āleph-bēyth

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aleph-bet was in 1909

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near aleph-bet

aleph

aleph-bet

aleph-null

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Aleph-bet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aleph-bet. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...