alpha male

American  

[al-fuh meyl] / ˈæl fə ˈmeɪl /

noun

1. a male animal having the highest rank in a dominance hierarchy.

   Studies show that in spite of their high rank, access to females, etc., baboon alpha males experience a great deal of stress.

2. the most dominant, powerful, or assertive man in a particular group.

   He thinks he's the alpha male of investment bankers.

3. Slang: Sometimes Disparaging. a man who is perceived to be assertive, successful, and sexually dominant.

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alpha male British  

noun

1. the dominant male animal or person in a group

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Etymology

Origin of alpha male

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Like capybaras in the wild, zoo capybaras are polygamous, with one alpha male and several females forming a sort of harem.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

How Bruce the beakless parrot became an alpha male.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Mr. James’s tone—that of a reformed alpha male, an ex-con and traveler of a gritty road—lends his tale authenticity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

It will only work if the group's alpha male, the silverback, is willing to accept the humans - if he does, his family will too.

From BBC • Jan. 6, 2024

For example, common chimpanzees have a genetic tendency to live in hierarchical groups headed by an alpha male.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari