alto
altos
An alto is a woman with a relatively low singing voice. In a choir, alto describes the lowest singing part written for a female voice.
While occasionally men are described as altos — in which case, the word describes a fairly high pitched singing voice — it more often describes a woman whose voice is lower than a soprano. The word alto can also refer to other instruments, including saxophones and flutes, at specific pitches. Alto originally described a man's high voice, from a Latin root, altus, or "high."
Definitions of alto
-
the lowest female singing voice
-
synonyms:
contralto
-
type of:
-
singing voice
the musical quality of the voice while singing
-
singing voice
-
the highest adult male singing voice
-
synonyms:
countertenor
-
type of:
-
singing voice
the musical quality of the voice while singing
-
singing voice
-
the pitch range of the lowest female voice
-
type of:
-
pitch
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
-
pitch
-
a singer whose voice lies in the alto clef
-
types:
-
countertenor
a male singer with a voice above that of a tenor
-
countertenor
-
(of a musical instrument) the second highest instrument in a family of musical instruments
-
type of:
-
pitch
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
-
pitch
-
of or being the lowest female voice
-
synonyms:
contralto
-
low, low-pitched
used of sounds and voices; low in pitch or frequency
-
low, low-pitched
-
of or being the highest male voice; having a range above that of tenor
-
synonyms:
countertenor
-
high, high-pitched
used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency
-
high, high-pitched
-
(of a musical instrument) second highest member of a group“alto clarinet or recorder”
-
Synonyms:
-
high, high-pitched
used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency
-
high, high-pitched
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘alto'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Look up alto for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
