אל״ף

Pausal form of אֶלֶף (élef, ʾɛ́lɛp̄, “cattle, oxen”), term used in reference to the original shape of this letter, which represented the head of an ox (𐤀).

Cognate with Arabic أَلِف (ʔalif), which is also used for the first letter of the Arabic abjad, namely ا.

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔalp/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔɔːlɛf/, [ˈʔɔːlɛf]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔɔlaf/, [ˈʔɔːlæf]
• (Persian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈ(ʔ)ɒlef/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈɔlɛf/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈ(ʔ)alef/

אָלֶ״ף • (álef, ʾɔ́lɛp̄) f

1. aleph, alef (the first letter of the Hebrew script)