الف

أَلِفٌ ذ : see اـِلْفٌ, in two places. ― -b2- As some say, (O,) it also signifies A man having no wife. (O, K.) -A2- One of the letters of the alphabet; (M;) the first thereof; (K;) as also ↓ أَلِيفٌ: (M:) Ks says that, accord. to the usage of the Arabs, it is fem., and so are all the other letters of the alphabet; [and hence its pl. is أَلِفَاتٌ;] but it is allowable to make it masc.: Sb says that every one of them is masc. and fem., like as is لِسَانٌ. (M.) See art. ا. ― -b2- (tropical:) A certain vein lying in the interior of the upper arm, [ extending ] to the fore arm: (K, TA:) so called as being likened to an ا: (TA:) the two are called الأَلِفَانِ. (K.) ― -b3- (assumed tropical:) One of any kind of things: (K, TA:) as being likened to the ا; for it denotes the number one. (TA.)