Gamma
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{{Two other uses||Latin {{IPA|ɣ}}|Latin gamma||}}
{{wiktionarypar2|Γ|γ}}
{{Table_Greekletters|letter=gamma}}
'''Gamma''' (uppercase '''Γ''', lowercase '''γ'''; {{lang-el|Γάμμα}}) is the third letter of the [[Greek alphabet]]. In the system of [[Greek numerals]] it has a value of 3. It was derived from the [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician letter]] [[Gimel (letter)|Gimel]] [[Image:phoenician_gimel.png|20px|Gimel]]. Letters that arose from Gamma include the Roman [[C]] and [[G]] and the Cyrillic letters [[Ge (Cyrillic)|Ge]] Г and [[Ghe (Cyrillic)|Ghe]] Ґ.
In [[Greek language|Modern Greek]], it represents either a [[voiced velar fricative]] {{IPA|/ɣ/}} or a [[voiced palatal fricative]] {{IPA|/ʝ/}}. In [[Ancient Greek language|Ancient Greek]], it represented a [[voiced velar stop]] {{IPA|/ɡ/}}. Before velars, it represents a [[velar nasal]] {{IPA|/ŋ/}} in Modern as well as Ancient Greek, and a double gamma represents a [[prenasalized]] [[voiced velar stop]] ({{IPA|/ŋɡ/}}).
== Gamma combinations ==
The gamma can be combined with other letters or itself.
*A double gamma (γγ) is pronounced like the ng in "jumpi'''ng'''"
*A gamma with xi (γξ) is pronounced roughly like the nx in "Sphi'''nx'''"
*A gamma with chi (γχ) is pronounced like the nkh in "a'''nkh'''"
*A gamma combined with kappa (γκ) is pronounced like the nk in "ba'''nk'''er"
== Use as a symbol or a term ==
{{main|Gamma (disambiguation)}}
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Gamma is often used to denote a variable in [[mathematics]] and [[physics]].
In certain areas it has a specific meaning, such as representing [[gamma radiation]] in [[nuclear physics]] and the [[Lorentz factor]] in [[theory of relativity]]. In mathematics, there is a [[gamma function]] (usually written as Γ-function.)
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[[Category:Greek letters]]
[[ext:Gama]]
[[als:Γ]]
[[ar:غاما (حرف إغريقي)]]
[[arc:Γ]]
[[ast:Gamma]]
[[br:Gamma (lizherenn)]]
[[bg:Гама (буква)]]
[[ca:Gamma]]
[[cy:Gamma]]
[[da:Gamma (bogstav)]]
[[de:Gamma]]
[[el:Γάμμα]]
[[es:Γ]]
[[eo:Gamo (litero)]]
[[eu:Gamma (greko)]]
[[fr:Gamma]]
[[ga:Gáma]]
[[gv:Gamma]]
[[gd:Gamma]]
[[gl:Gamma]]
[[ko:Γ]]
[[hr:Gama]]
[[id:Gamma (huruf Yunani)]]
[[is:Gamma]]
[[it:Gamma (lettera)]]
[[he:גמא (אות)]]
[[ka:გამა (ასო)]]
[[sw:Gamma]]
[[ht:Γ]]
[[ku:Gamma]]
[[la:Gamma]]
[[lt:Gama (raidė)]]
[[hu:Gamma]]
[[ms:Gama]]
[[nah:Γ]]
[[nl:Gamma (letter)]]
[[ja:Γ]]
[[no:Gamma]]
[[nn:Gamma]]
[[nds:Gamma]]
[[pl:Gamma]]
[[pt:Γ]]
[[ru:Гамма (буква)]]
[[simple:Gamma]]
[[sk:Gama (grécke písmeno)]]
[[sl:Gama]]
[[sr:Гама]]
[[sh:Gama]]
[[fi:Gamma]]
[[sv:Gamma]]
[[th:แกมมา]]
[[tr:Γ]]
[[uk:Гамма (літера)]]
[[zh:Γ]]