English Dictionary |
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
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)
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)
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