Alpha Symbol (α)
Copy the Alpha symbol α to your clipboard, and see its Unicode code point, HTML entity, LaTeX command and how to type it on any device.
What does α mean?
Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, is one of the most reused symbols in science. It denotes angles and angular acceleration, coefficients in equations, the significance level in statistics (often 0.05), the fine‑structure constant in physics, and alpha particles (helium nuclei) in nuclear physics. α is the lowercase form of Alpha, letter 1 of 24 in the Greek alphabet (pronounced AL-fa). Its capital counterpart is Α. In science and maths it is used for: Angles, angular acceleration, significance level (α), alpha particles.
Codes and properties
| Character | α |
|---|---|
| Unicode name | GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA |
| Code point | U+03B1 |
| Decimal | 945 |
| Unicode block | Greek and Coptic |
| HTML entity | α · α · α |
| CSS | \03B1 |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u03B1 |
| Python | \u03B1 or \N{GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA} |
| UTF-8 bytes | CE B1 |
| LaTeX | \alpha |
How to type α
- Copy & paste: press the Copy button above, then paste α anywhere — Word, Google Docs, email, chat or code.
- Windows (Word, WordPad, Outlook): type
03B1then press Alt+X. In any app, Win+. opens the symbol panel. - Mac: switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, hold Option and type
03B1; or press Ctrl+Cmd+Space and search “greek small letter alpha”. - Linux (GTK/IBus): press Ctrl+Shift+U, type
03b1, then Space. - HTML:
αrenders as α. - LaTeX:
\alphain math mode (amssymb package for some symbols).
Frequently asked questions
What does α mean in statistics?
It is the significance level — the probability of a Type I error (a false positive), commonly set to 0.05.
Is α used for angles?
Yes. Along with β and θ, alpha is a standard label for angles in geometry and trigonometry.
How do I type α on Windows?
In Microsoft Word type 03B1 and press Alt+X. In any app press Win+. to open the symbol panel, or copy α from this page.
What is the HTML code for α?
Use α or α (hex) or α (decimal).
What is the LaTeX command for α?
Use \alpha in math mode.