aleph
noun/ˈɑˌlɛf/ · /ˈɑˌlɪf/
Etymology Borrowed from Hebrew אָלֶף (álef). Doublet of alpha and alif.
1
The first letter of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet, and its descendants in descended Semitic scripts, such as Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ, ʾaleph), Aramaic 𐡀 (ʾ), Classical Syriac ܐ ('ālaph), Hebrew א (aleph) and Arabic ا (ʾalif).
2
Mathematics, Sciences The cardinality of an infinite well-ordered (or well-orderable) set.
- The axiom of choice is equivalent to the proposition that every infinite cardinal is an aleph.
- Derived terms
- aleph-beth, aleph-null, aleph-one, aleph-zero, since aleph
- Related terms
- alpha