alpha privative
noun
the prefix a- or, before a vowel, an-, used in Greek and English to express negation or absence.
Origin of alpha privative
First recorded in 1580–90
Words nearby alpha privative
alpha granule,
alpha helix,
alpha iron,
alpha male,
alpha particle,
alpha privative,
alpha radiation,
alpha ray,
alpha receptor,
alpha rhythm,
alpha stock
British Dictionary definitions for alpha privative
alpha privative
noun
(in Greek grammar) the letter alpha (or an- before vowels) used as a negative or privative prefix. It appears in English words derived from Greek, as in atheist, anaesthetic