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alpha and omega

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alpha and omega

–noun
1. the beginning and the end. Rev. 1:8.
2. the basic or essential element or elements: the alpha and omega of political reform.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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alpha and omega  
n.  
  1. The first and the last: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord" (Revelation 1:8).

  2. The most important part.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

alpha and omega [(al-fuh; oh-may-guh, oh-meg-uh, oh-mee-guh)]

The beginning and the end. In the Greek alphabet, in which the New Testament was written, alpha is the first letter and omega is the last. In the Book of Revelation, God says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last,” meaning that God remains from the beginning to the end of time.


alpha and omega [(al-fuh; oh-may-guh, oh-meg-uh, oh-mee-guh)]

The beginning and the end. In the New Testament Book of Revelation, God says, “I am Alpha and Omega,” meaning that he is the beginning and end of all things. In the Greek alphabet, alpha is the first letter and omega is the last.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Idioms & Phrases

alpha and omega

The beginning and the end, the first and the last, as in She had to master the alpha and omega of the new computer program before she could even begin. This idiom and its meaning, based on the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, appears in the New Testament (Revelation 1:8): "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord," where it is repeated three more times.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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