Alphabetical
/ˌæl.fəˈbɛt.ɪ.kəl/noun
Relating to or arranged in the order of the letters of the alphabet.
Did you know?The term 'alphabet' comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and beta, which were once used in mystical practices related to language and communication with the divine.
Etymological Timeline
Phoenician Alphabet
Phoenician
𐤀𐤁𐤕
“The first known system of writing using symbols to represent sounds.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄλφα (alpha) + βήτα (beta)
“The names of the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, which signified beginnings.”
Latin
Latin
alphabetum
“A term borrowed from Greek, referring to the set of letters used in writing.”
Old French
Old French
alphabetique
“Adjective form indicating something is related to the alphabetical order.”
Middle English
Middle English
alfabetical
“Describing the arrangement of letters in a specific order.”
Modern English
English
alphabetical
“Current term used to describe order based on the sequence of letters.”