Dictionary.com

alto

[ al-toh ]
/ ˈæl toʊ /
Music.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR alto ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural al·tos.

adjective

of, relating to, or having the tonal range of the alto.
(of a musical instrument) second highest in a family of musical instruments: alto saxophone.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ IF A DAZZLING VOCABULARY IS YOUR DESIDERATUM!

Have the Words of the Day from October 19–25, 2020, made an indelible mark on your memory? Take the quiz to find out!
Question 1 of 7
What does “clement” mean?
having or claiming to have the power of seeing objects or actions beyond the range of natural vision.
mild or merciful in disposition or character; lenient; compassionate.
favorite; cherished.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of alto

1775–85; <Italian <Latin altus high

Words nearby alto

altitude sickness, altitudinal, altitudinal hemianopsia, Alt key, Altman, alto, alto clef, Altocor, altocumulus, alto flute, altogether

Definition for alto (2 of 2)

alto-

variant of alti-: altostratus.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to alto

deep, bass, low-pitched, resonant, sonorous

Example sentences from the Web for alto

British Dictionary definitions for alto (1 of 2)

alto
/ (ˈæltəʊ) /

noun plural -tos

the highest adult male voice; countertenor
(in choral singing) a shortened form of contralto
a singer with such a voice
another name for viola 1 (def. 1)
a flute, saxophone, etc, that is the third or fourth highest instrument in its group

adjective

denoting a flute, saxophone, etc, that is the third or fourth highest instrument in its group

Word Origin for alto

C18: from Italian: high, from Latin altus

British Dictionary definitions for alto (2 of 2)

alto-

combining form

highaltocumulus; altostratus

Word Origin for alto-

from Latin altus high
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for alto

alto

The lowest range of the female singing voice, also called contralto. (Compare mezzo soprano and soprano.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.