alto

1 of 2

noun

al·​to ˈal-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce alto (audio)
ˈȯl-
plural altos
1
2
: the second highest voice part in a 4-part chorus
3
: a member of a family of instruments having a range lower than that of the treble or soprano
especially : an alto saxophone

alto

2 of 2

adjective

: relating to or having the range or part of an alto

Examples of alto in a Sentence

Noun She sang in her school choir as an alto. Adjective He plays the alto sax.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
To Kepler, the solar system had two basses, Jupiter and Saturn; a tenor, Mars; two altos, Venus and Earth; and a soprano, Mercury. Chris Impey, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 While alto saxophone is Kahlil’s primary instrument, this industrious ninth-grader also plays soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, flute and bass clarinet. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Dec. 2023 Thorn’s exquisite, melancholic alto sings of the unbreakable bond between love and pain. Pitchfork, 7 Dec. 2023 In addition to the alto saxophone, Hamilton plays the bass clarinet, drums, flute, piano, tenor and soprano saxophone and vibraphone. Xander Zellner, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2023 The choir, combined with soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices, is comprised of advanced singers in grades 7-9 from across York County, Pennsylvania. Katia Parks, Baltimore Sun, 27 July 2023 But for my fellow altos, the melodic range of female alto songs and male tenor songs very closely overlaps; for example, Rihanna and Queen. Oftentimes bass voices can easily sing soprano range songs, just an octave lower. Ada Tsengassistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2022 Sung in a low alto in isiZulu, one of the official languages of South Africa, audiences didn’t need to understand the song to be moved by it. Lynsey Chutel, New York Times, 7 July 2023 Choose from five drink types: espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, mug and alto. Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 8 July 2022
Adjective
Lee Konitz, 92, was an alto saxophonist who was an innovative figure in jazz for more than 70 years. Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2020 Kristen Dubenion-Smith possesses a lyric-mezzo of uncommon beauty, her flickering vibrato and the amber cast of her tone making something special out of the alto arias. Joe Banno, Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2019 At sunset, a mix of alto cirrus with mare�s tails and cumulus provide a backdrop to pristine Forester Lake at 10, 240 feet, nestled in the Great Western Divide. Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 May 2018 And my uncle is an alto saxophonist named Donald Harrison Jr. who is a legendary figure in creative improvised music, or jazz music. Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2020 Her strong alto voice was a good fit for the song, and the montage was only undercut by the ever-tacky clapping caught on the mic for some of the late artists and not others. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2020 The alto saxophonist Mthunzi Mvubu is also deeply in the mix, often entwined with Mr. Hutchings’s lines. Giovanni Russonello, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2020 Tenor Rodrick Dixon, soprano Alfreda Burke and alto Karen Marie Richardson are the soloists. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Detroit Opera House. Greg Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 11 Dec. 2019 They were joined by pianist Michael Carabello and alto saxophonist Konrad Dziemian. Susan Dunne, courant.com, 26 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian, literally, high, from Latin altus

First Known Use

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

circa 1724, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alto was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near alto

Cite this Entry

“Alto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alto. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

alto

noun
al·​to
ˈal-tō
plural altos
1
a
b
: the second highest of the four voice parts of a mixed chorus compare bass entry 2 sense 1a, soprano entry 2 sense 1, tenor sense 2a
2
: the second highest member of a family of musical instruments
especially : althorn

More from Merriam-Webster on alto

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