alphabet
Syllabification: (al·pha·bet)
Pronunciation: /ˈalfəˌbet, -bit/
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Definition of alphabet
noun
The alphabet has its roots in Phoenician writing of the 2nd millennium bc, from which the modern Hebrew and Arabic systems are ultimately derived. The Greek alphabet, which emerged in 1000–900 bc, developed two branches, Cyrillic (which became the script of Russian) and Etruscan (from which derives the Roman alphabet used in the West)
Origin:
early 16th century: from late Latin alphabetum, from Greek alpha, bēta, the first two letters of the Greek alphabet