أَلِفٌ

As some say, (O,) it also signifies A man having no wife. (O, K.)

One of the letters of the alphabet; (M;) the first thereof; (K;) as also أَلِيفٌ: (M:) Ks says that, according to the usage of the Arabs, it is feminine, and so are all the other letters of the alphabet; [and hence its plural is أَلِفَاتٌ;] but it is allowable to make it masculine: Sb says that every one of them is masculine and feminine, like as is لِسَانٌ. (M.) See article ا.

(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.)

(assumed tropical:) One of any kind of things: (K, TA:) as being likened to the ا; for it denotes the number one. (TA.)