Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump To:
  • alpha test
    alpha test
    noun
    an early test of new or updated software or hardware conducted by the developers or manufacturers prior to beta-testing by potential users.
  • alpha-test
    alpha-test
    verb (used with object)
    to subject (software or hardware) to an alpha test.

alpha test

1 American  

noun

Computers.
  1. an early test of new or updated software or hardware conducted by the developers or manufacturers prior to beta-testing by potential users.


alpha-test 2 American  

verb (used with object)

Computers.
  1. to subject (software or hardware) to an alpha test.


alpha-test British  

noun

  1. an in-house test of a new or modified piece of computer software

"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

verb

  1. to test (software) in this way Compare beta-test

"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

Etymology

Origin of alpha-test

First recorded in 1985–90


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Programmer Nev Bourne executes the alpha test of SavePoint 2.0, a prefrontal cortex implant that uses loop quantum gravity to let users leap five seconds back in time.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 20, 2023

For instance, the Greek pantheon resembles the superuser avatars that the development team used in our alpha test.

From Nature ● May 17, 2016

The one she retrieved during her first alpha test.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training