alpha

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Computing

n. an early version of a computer program that is still being tested.

n. an early, internally tested version of a software product, preceding the beta stage and typically containing significant bugs.

“The game is currently in alpha, so players should expect some technical problems.”

“During the alpha phase, the development team focused on core mechanics rather than refining the user interface or fixing minor graphical glitches.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. a person who is the leader or the most powerful in a group.

n. the highest-ranking or most dominant individual in a social hierarchy.

“He always tries to be the alpha in every meeting by talking over others.”

“Sociologists often debate whether the concept of an alpha truly applies to human corporate structures or if it is a misapplied biological metaphor.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Finance Technical

n. the extra money an investment makes compared to the market average.

n. the excess return of an investment relative to the return of a benchmark index.

“The fund manager was praised for consistently generating alpha in a flat market.”

“Active investors seek to achieve alpha through superior stock selection, whereas passive investors are content with matching the market's beta.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Mathematics Academic · Technical

n. the level of risk a scientist accepts for being wrong in a test.

n. the probability of committing a type I error in a statistical hypothesis test.

“We set the alpha at 0.05 to ensure the results were statistically significant.”

“Lowering the alpha level reduces the risk of a false positive but simultaneously increases the likelihood of failing to detect a real effect.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a person born between the early 2010s and the mid-2020s.

n. a member of the demographic cohort succeeding Generation Z, typically born from 2010 onwards.

“My youngest nephew is an alpha and has used a tablet since he was a toddler.”

“Marketers are already studying the digital habits of Generation Alpha, noting their unprecedented integration with artificial intelligence from early childhood.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. describing the most powerful person or the first thing in a list.

adj. denoting the first in a sequence or the most dominant in a social or biological hierarchy.

“The alpha male in the wolf pack leads the hunt.”

“The alpha version of the hardware was bulky and inefficient, bearing little resemblance to the sleek consumer product released two years later.”