Definition & Meaning of "alpha female"in English

What is the origin and meaning of the phrase "alpha female"?

The slang term alpha female refers to a woman who is confident, assertive, ambitious, and often seen as a leader in social, professional, or personal settings, commanding respect through her presence, skills, and decisiveness. The concept draws from animal behavior studies in the late 19th and 20th centuries, where "alpha" described the dominant member of a group, and by the 1990s it was applied to women in sociological and cultural contexts to signify those at the top of female social hierarchies. In the early 2000s, the term gained broader cultural significance, used both positively to celebrate strong, trailblazing women and negatively to stereotype them as intimidating, overbearing, or overly competitive. Today, it appears in discussions of leadership, gender roles, and empowerment, as well as in memes and pop culture portrayals of high-achieving, self-assured women.