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alpha and omega

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noun
the beginning and the end. Revelation 1:8.
the basic or essential element or elements: the alpha and omega of political reform.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for alpha and omega

alpha and omega

noun
the first and last, a phrase used in Revelation 1:8 to signify God's eternity
the basic reason or meaning; most important part
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for alpha and omega (1 of 2)

alpha and omega
[ (al-fuh; oh-may-guh, oh-meg-uh, oh-mee-guh) ]

The beginning and the end. In the Greek alphabet, in which the New Testament was written, alpha is the first letter and omega is the last. In the Book of Revelation, God says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last,” meaning that God remains from the beginning to the end of time.

Cultural definitions for alpha and omega (2 of 2)

alpha and omega
[ (al-fuh; oh-may-guh, oh-meg-uh, oh-mee-guh) ]

The beginning and the end. In the New Testament Book of Revelation, God says, “I am Alpha and Omega,” meaning that he is the beginning and end of all things. In the Greek alphabet, alpha is the first letter and omega is the last.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with alpha and omega

alpha and omega

The beginning and the end, the first and the last, as in She had to master the alpha and omega of the new computer program before she could even begin. This idiom and its meaning, based on the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, appears in the New Testament (Revelation 1:8): “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,” where it is repeated three more times.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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