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The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It is derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and was the earliest known alphabetic script to have distinct letters for vowels as well as consonants.
Greek alphabet letters are used as math and science symbols.
Upper Case LetterLower Case LetterGreek Letter NameEnglish EquivalentΑαAlphaaΒβBetabΓγGammagΔδDeltadGreek Letters today are used for writing modern greek and symbols in mathematics and science. The Greek alphabet has its origin in the Phoenician alphabet and in turn gave rise to the Gothic, Glagolitic, Cyrillic, Coptic, and Latin alphabets. Read more on each of the 24 Greek alphabet letters by clicking below:
People also ask
How many letters are there in the Greek alphabet?
What is the Greek alphabet used for?
What are the symbols used for writing in modern Greek?
The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It is derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and was the earliest known alphabetic script to have distinct letters for vowels as well as consonants.
- Overview
- Classical Greek alphabet
- Classical Greek numerals
- Modern Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet is a writing system that was developed in Greece about 1000 BCE. It is the direct or indirect ancestor of all modern European alphabets. It was derived from the North Semitic alphabet via that of the Phoenicians.
How is the Greek alphabet used today?
The Greek alphabet is still used for the Greek language today. The letters of the Greek alphabet are now also used as symbols for concepts in equations of the interrelated fields of mathematics and science—for example, the lowercase alpha (⍺) can be used to represent an angle in mathematics.
Is the Greek alphabet the same as the Cyrillic alphabet?
The Greek alphabet is not the same as the Cyrillic alphabet. But the Cyrillic alphabet was heavily based upon the Greek alphabet, so the two writing systems resemble each other. The Cyrillic alphabet was created during the Middle Ages, and it includes additional letters to account for the sounds which Slavic languages use that aren’t present in Greek. The Cyrillic alphabet is now also used for non-Slavic languages, such as Kyrgyz and Tajik.
Why was the Greek alphabet a significant development?
The table indicates the Classical Greek alphabet.
The table indicates the Classical Greek numerals.
The table indicates the Modern Greek alphabet.
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- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
What is the Greek alphabet? Our complete guide lists the Greek letters, how they're pronounced, and how they correspond to English.
Aug 1, 2023 · The Greek alphabet added vowels and two letters bringing the script up to 24 letters. Why is it called an "alphabet"? The Greek alphabet is so-called from the first two characters in the system: alpha (A) and beta (B).
