ALTO

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does alto mean? 

• ALTO (noun)
  The noun ALTO has 5 senses:

1. a singer whose voice lies in the alto clef

2. the lowest female singing voice

3. the highest adult male singing voice

4. (of a musical instrument) the second highest instrument in a family of musical instruments

5. the pitch range of the lowest female voice

  Familiarity information: ALTO used as a noun is common.

• ALTO (adjective)
  The adjective ALTO has 3 senses:

1. of or being the lowest female voice

2. of or being the highest male voice; having a range above that of tenor

3. (of a musical instrument) second highest member of a group

  Familiarity information: ALTO used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALTO (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A singer whose voice lies in the alto clef

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("alto" is a kind of...):

singer; vocaliser; vocalist; vocalizer (a person who sings)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alto"):

countertenor (a male singer with a voice above that of a tenor)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The lowest female singing voice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

alto; contralto

Hypernyms ("alto" is a kind of...):

singing voice (the musical quality of the voice while singing)

Derivation:

alto (of or being the lowest female voice)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The highest adult male singing voice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

alto; countertenor

Hypernyms ("alto" is a kind of...):

singing voice (the musical quality of the voice while singing)

Derivation:

alto (of or being the highest male voice; having a range above that of tenor)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(of a musical instrument) the second highest instrument in a family of musical instruments

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("alto" is a kind of...):

pitch (the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration)

Derivation:

alto ((of a musical instrument) second highest member of a group)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The pitch range of the lowest female voice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("alto" is a kind of...):

pitch (the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration)

Derivation:

alto (of or being the lowest female voice)

• ALTO (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or being the lowest female voice

Synonyms:

alto; contralto

Similar:

low; low-pitched (used of sounds and voices; low in pitch or frequency)

Derivation:

alto (the pitch range of the lowest female voice)

alto (the lowest female singing voice)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Of or being the highest male voice; having a range above that of tenor

Synonyms:

alto; countertenor

Similar:

high; high-pitched (used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency)

Derivation:

alto (the highest adult male singing voice)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(of a musical instrument) second highest member of a group

Context example:

alto clarinet or recorder

Similar:

high; high-pitched (used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency)

Domain category:

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Derivation:

alto ((of a musical instrument) the second highest instrument in a family of musical instruments)