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.
That “Krasner” comes first in the title can be justified alphabetically, but that the first works we see are Krasner’s collages is unexpected.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
This time the sectors are sorted alphabetically, with the full index at the bottom:
From MarketWatch ● May 29, 2026
The following 17 Times staff writers and columnists, listed alphabetically, share their favorite sports stories from 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
The 15 candidates, listed alphabetically, are as follows:
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2025
“Jessica, we sit alphabetically here, so your seat is at the head of row two.”
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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