Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

alto

/ˈæl.toʊ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.47 in modern English

Syllables
al-to
IPA
/ˈæl.toʊ/
4
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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.

noun

A person or musical instrument that performs the alto part.

noun

An alto saxophone.

Colloquial

name

A surname.

name

A census-designated place in Marin County, California, United States.

name

initialism of air launch to orbit.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian alto (“high”). Doublet of old.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈæl.toʊ/
  • British English: /ˈæl.təʊ/

Usage

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Music.

Inflected Forms

altos (plural) alti (plural)

Derived Forms

altoist

Phrases

alto clarinet alto clef alto cliff alto flute alto horn alto recorder alto sax

Frequently Paired Words

SATB

Synonyms

contratenor altus high countertenor countertenor contralto

Rhymes With

contralto

Questions

How do you pronounce alto?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæl.toʊ/.
What does alto mean?
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.
Where does alto come from?
It is traced to Italian.

How to pronounce alto

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “alto”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæl.toʊ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “alto”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “alto” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.