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- DictionaryA/ā/
noun
- 1. the first letter of the alphabet.
- 2. a shape like that of a capital A: "an A-shape"
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, [1] [2] used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is a (pronounced / ˈeɪ / AY ), plural aes. [nb 1]
- U+0041, U+0061
- Alphabet
A is the first letter of the English alphabet, a graphic representation of this letter, a speech counterpart of orthographic a, and more. It can also be used as a function word, a preposition, a verb, an abbreviation, a prefix, a symbol, or a combining form. See usage guide, examples, etymology, and related terms.
Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and grammar of the indefinite article a and its variants. Find out how to use a before consonants, vowels, and silent h, and see related words and expressions.
- 2 min
A, a meaning: 1. the first letter of the English alphabet 2. a note in Western music: 3. a mark in an exam or…. Learn more.
A is a noun, an indefinite article, a prefix, and a symbol. It can also be a word with various meanings and uses in different contexts. Find out more about its definitions, synonyms, usage examples, and related terms in Britannica Dictionary.
The patterns that determine which article, a or an, is conventionally used before a given word are based on phonetics, but the patterns exist in writing as well as speech. When preceding a consonant sound, a is used: "a cake," "a slice of cake." Before a vowel sound, an is usual: "an enormous slice of cake," "an appropriately enormous slice of ...