Where does “alpha male” come from?

alpha male (English) comes from English Malé, from Middle English male, from Anglo-Norman male, from Old French male, from Medieval Latin mala, from Proto-Italic smakslā, from Proto-Indo-European smēk-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.

alpha male (English): The dominant male in a group of animals; A...

Definitions

  1. The dominant male in a group of animals; A...

Ancestry of “alpha male”, step by step

alpha male traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Malé

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMalé—
2Middle Englishmalerent, tribute
3Anglo-Normanmalepack, bag
4Old Frenchmalepack, bag
5Medieval Latinmalacheekbone, jaw; cheek; bundle, bag
6Proto-Italicsmakslā—
7Proto-Indo-Europeansmēk-beard; chin
8Proto-Indo-Europeansmē-to rub; smear

via English alpha

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishalphaThe name of the first letter of the Greek...
2Ancient Greekἄλφαalpha, the name for the first letter Α, α of the...
3Phoenician𐤀𐤋𐤐thousand; bull, ox, head of cattle
4Proto-Semitic*ʔalp-thousand

Words derived from “alpha male”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European smē- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European smēk- →Every word from Proto-Italic smakslā →