Explanation
When you do organize something alphabetically, you arrange it in order of the letters of the alphabet. The fiction section of the library sorts books alphabetically by the author's last name. Dictionaries and encyclopedias are organized alphabetically, so that it's easy to find the word you're looking for. Some home cooks arrange their cookbook collection alphabetically by title, while others might place them on the shelf by color instead. The word alphabetically comes from alphabet, which is rooted in the first two Greek letters — arranged alphabetically, by the way — alpha and beta.
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.
The companies are listed alphabetically within the six industry groups represented in the index.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 8, 2025
The 15 candidates, listed alphabetically, are as follows:
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2025
The following 17 Times staff writers and columnists, listed alphabetically, share their favorite sports stories from 2024.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 26, 2024
But the custom of naming vitamins alphabetically in order of discovery continued.
From National Geographic • Nov. 9, 2023
Liyana was last—Abboud—even though alphabetically she should have been first.
From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
