# alphabetical

Pronunciation: say "al-fuh-BET-i-kuhl" US /ˌælfəˈbɛtɪkəl/, UK /ˌæl.fəˈbɛt.ɪ.kəl/, AUS /ˌæl.fəˈbet.ɪ.kəl/

## Adjective

1. Following the order in which the letters of the alphabet are arranged.
   - Simple: In the same order as the letters of the alphabet, from A to Z.
   - _Guests were seated in alphabetical order by last name._
   - _The index at the back of the book is alphabetical, so any topic is easy to find._
2. Relating to letters of the alphabet, provided with them, or expressed by means of them.
   - Simple: Having to do with letters of an alphabet, having them, or written with them.
   - _Historians study how the spread of alphabetical writing changed the way people kept records._
   - _Spreadsheet columns carry alphabetical labels, while the rows are numbered._

## Noun

3. Ellipsis of alphabetical jigsaw. — Ellipsis of alphabetical jigsaw.
   - Simple: Short for alphabetical jigsaw. A crossword whose clues are listed from A to Z by their answers.
   - _Keen solvers look forward to the monthly alphabetical, where every answer has to be placed in the grid without numbered clues._
   - _She spent the whole evening setting an alphabetical for the puzzle club's newsletter._

## Adjective

4. Literal; keeping to the exact letter of something said or written. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Keeping exactly to the words that are written, word for word.

## Origin

From Latin alphabēticus + -al. It can also be read as alphabet + -ical.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/alphabetical (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).