Where does “alfa” come from?

alfa (Italian) comes from Ancient Greek ἄλφα, from Phoenician 𐤀𐤋𐤐, from Proto-Semitic *ʔalp- — thousand.

alfa (Italian): alpha, specifically; A grass, Stipa tenacissima;...

Definitions

  1. alpha, specifically; A grass, Stipa tenacissima;...

Ancestry of “alfa”, step by step

alfa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Ancient Greek ἄλφα

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

via Arabic حَلْفَا

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicحَلْفَا—
Every word from Proto-Semitic *ʔalp- →Every word from Phoenician 𐤀𐤋𐤐 →Every word from Ancient Greek ἄλφα →