Latin Small Letter Alpha Letter
ɑ is the Unicode latin small letter alpha (U+0251), often used as an alternate alpha shape in Latin Extended.
U+0251
The symbol ɑ is a Latin Extended character distinct from the Greek alpha used in many alphabets. It’s useful when you need a specific glyph style for typography or text rendering. You can copy it directly or use its Unicode/escape formats in code.
Latin Small Letter Alpha Letter Meaning
The character ɑ is “LATIN SMALL LETTER ALPHA” with Unicode code point U+0251. It is not the standard Greek lowercase alpha (α), even though both look related to “alpha.” In practice, ɑ is chosen for its particular glyph form—often a more open or curved “a/alpha” look—when designers want a consistent letter shape in branding, UI text, or typographic systems. Because it has its own Unicode identity, using U+0251 helps avoid font substitution or mismatched characters when compared to other alpha-like letters.
Common uses
- •Typography and logo text where a specific alpha-like glyph shape is required
- •Linguistics or phonetic writing systems that use a Latin Extended character distinct from Greek alpha
- •Designing consistent UI labels and brand elements across platforms
- •Creating accurate copy for documents that require the exact Unicode character U+0251
- •Programming and templates where you need a stable, specific character code
Examples
ɑ (latin small letter alpha)
- ɑɑ = ɑlphabet
- ɑType ɑ for the alternate alpha glyph.
- ɑThe form ɑ is different from α.
- ɑUse ɑ in phonetic notes.
- ɑBrand text: ɑudio
Variations
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+0251 | |
| HTML Entity | ɑ | |
| HTML Code | ɑ | |
| CSS | \0251 |
FAQ
What does the Latin Small Letter Alpha letter mean?
The character ɑ is “LATIN SMALL LETTER ALPHA” with Unicode code point U+0251. It is not the standard Greek lowercase alpha (α), even though both look related to “alpha.” In practice, ɑ is chosen for its particular glyph form—often a more open or curved “a/alpha” look—when designers want a consistent letter shape in branding, UI text, or typographic systems. Because it has its own Unicode identity, using U+0251 helps avoid font substitution or mismatched characters when compared to other alpha-like letters.
Is ɑ the same as the Greek lowercase alpha (α)?
No. ɑ is LATIN SMALL LETTER ALPHA (U+0251). The Greek lowercase alpha is a different character with its own Unicode code point.
What is the Unicode code point for ɑ?
The Unicode code point for ɑ is U+0251.
How do I write ɑ in HTML?
Use the HTML entity: ɑ
How do I use ɑ in code with escapes?
CSS escape: \\0251. JavaScript escape: \\u{0251}.