/ Dictionary / Index A alpha privative: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: al'pha priv'ative Pronunciation: [key] the prefix a- or, before a vowel, an-, used in Greek and English to express negation or absence. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. alpha-particle scattering alpha ray Related Content Daily Word Quiz: illegible Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language