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Webster 1913 Edition

Alto

Al′to

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Altos
.
[It.
alto
high, fr. L.
altus
. Cf.
Alt
.]
1.
(Mus.)
Formerly the part sung by the highest male, or counter-tenor, voices; now the part sung by the lowest female, or contralto, voices, between in tenor and soprano. In instrumental music it now signifies the tenor.
2.
An alto singer.
Alto clef
(Mus.)
the counter-tenor clef, or the C clef, placed so that the two strokes include the middle line of the staff.
Moore.

Webster 1828 Edition

Alto

AL'TO.

[L. altus.] High.
Alto and Basso, high and low, in old law, terms used to signify a submission of all differences of every kind to arbitration.

Definition 2024

alto

alto

See also: alto-

English

Noun

alto ‎(plural altos)

An alto saxophone
  1. A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
  2. A person or musical instrument that performs the alto part.

Usage notes

Synonyms

Coordinate terms

Translations

Anagrams

Asturian

Adjective

alto n sg

  1. neuter singular of altu

French

alto

Pronunciation

Noun

alto m ‎(plural altos)

  1. (music) alto
  2. (music) viola

Galician

Etymology

From Old Portuguese alto, from Latin altus. Cf. also the archaic form outo.

Adjective

alto m (feminine singular alta, masculine plural altos, feminine plural altas)

  1. tall

Antonyms

Italian

Etymology

From Latin altus ‎(“high”), ultimately of Proto-Indo-European [Term?] origin.

Pronunciation

Adjective

alto m ‎(feminine singular alta, masculine plural alti, feminine plural alte)

  1. high, tall
  2. deep
    uno stagno alto 4 metri - a pond 4 meters deep
  3. loud
    ad alta voce - in a loud voice

Antonyms

Related terms

Descendants

Anagrams

Ladino

Etymology

From Latin altus.

Adjective

alto m ‎(Latin spelling)

  1. high

Latin

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈal.toː/, [ˈaɫ.toː]

Etymology 1

From altus ‎(“high, deep”) +‎ -ō.

Verb

altō ‎(present infinitive altāre); first conjugation, no perfect

  1. I make high, raise, elevate.
Inflection
   Conjugation of alto (first conjugation, defective)
indicative singular plural
first second third first second third
active present altō altās altat altāmus altātis altant
imperfect altābam altābās altābat altābāmus altābātis altābant
future altābō altābis altābit altābimus altābitis altābunt
passive present altor altāris, altāre altātur altāmur altāminī altantur
imperfect altābar altābāris, altābāre altābātur altābāmur altābāminī altābantur
future altābor altāberis, altābere altābitur altābimur altābiminī altābuntur
subjunctive singular plural
first second third first second third
active present altem altēs altet altēmus altētis altent
imperfect altārem altārēs altāret altārēmus altārētis altārent
passive present alter altēris, altēre altētur altēmur altēminī altentur
imperfect altārer altārēris, altārēre altārētur altārēmur altārēminī altārentur
imperative singular plural
first second third first second third
active present — altā — — altāte —
future — altātō altātō — altātōte altantō
passive present — altāre — — altāminī —
future — altātor altātor — — altantor
non-finite forms active passive
present perfect future present perfect future
infinitives altāre — — altārī — —
participles altāns — — — — altandus
verbal nouns gerund supine
nominative genitive dative/ablative accusative accusative ablative
altāre altandī altandō altandum — —

Etymology 2

Non-lemma forms.

Participle

altō

  1. inflection of altus:
    1. dative masculine singular
    2. dative neuter singular
    3. ablative masculine singular
    4. ablative neuter singular

References

Portuguese

Pronunciation

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ˈaɫ.tu/
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈaw.tu/
  • Rhymes: -awtu

Etymology 1

From Old Portuguese alto, from Latin altus, ultimately of Proto-Indo-European [Term?] origin.

Adjective

alto m ‎(feminine singular alta, masculine plural altos, feminine plural altas, comparable)

  1. loud
  2. tall
  3. high
  4. (informal) excessive, extreme
Inflection

Adverb

alto (comparative mais alto superlative o mais alto)

  1. loud; loudly
    • 2003, Lya Wyler (translator), J. K. Rowling (English author), Harry Potter e a Ordem da Fênix (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Rocco, page 445:
      Não fale tão alto...
      Don't speak so loud...

Descendants

  • Kabuverdianu: altu

Etymology 2

From the imperative of German halten.

Interjection

alto!

  1. halt!

Spanish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈalto/

Etymology 1

From Latin altus, ultimately of Proto-Indo-European [Term?] origin. Cf. also the archaic form oto, preserved in some toponyms, and its derivative otar.

Adjective

alto m ‎(feminine singular alta, masculine plural altos, feminine plural altas)

  1. tall
    Esas chicas son altas. - Those girls are tall.
  2. high
    Es un número alto. - It's a high number.
  3. loud
    En voz alta. - Out loud.
Related terms
Antonyms

Etymology 2

From Germanic halt.

Noun

alto m ‎(plural altos)

  1. stop
  2. break, pause, rest
  3. (traffic) stop (signal)
  4. (traffic) red light
Antonyms
Derived terms
  • hacer un alto
  • marcar el alto
Related terms

Interjection

¡alto!

  1. stop!

Etymology

Borrowing from Italian alto ‎(“high”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈæl.təʊ/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈæl.toʊ/
  • Rhymes: -æltəʊ

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