alphabet

/ˈæl.fəˌbɛt/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: alphabets

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The set of letters used when writing in a language.

Noun

Examples

The Greek alphabet has only twenty-four letters.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A writing system in which letters represent phonemes. (Contrast e.g. logography, a writing system in which each character represents a word, and syllabary, in which each character represents a syllable.)

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “alphabet” mean?

The set of letters used when writing in a language.

Is “alphabet” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.