alto
noun
al·to
| \ ˈal-(ˌ)tō
, ˈȯl-\
, ˈȯl-\
plural altos
Definition of alto
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: countertenor
b
: contralto
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
adjectiveDefinition of alto (Entry 2 of 2)
: 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
The roster features alto saxophonists Miguel Zenon and Melissa Aldana, pianist David Virelles, drummer Antonio Sanchez and bassist Ricky Rodriguez. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "What not to miss as Jazz Fest gets into full swing this weekend," 29 Aug. 2019 His voice is a rich alto rather than a vertiginous soprano, with a resonant warmth and an absence of shrillness. — Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, "A Millennial Countertenor’s Pop-Star Appeal," 15 July 2019 Williamson speaks in a husky alto with a cadence that is part meditation guide and part preacher. — Robin Givhan, Washington Post, "Marianne Williamson won’t make you feel better about America, but you’ll feel better about yourself," 27 June 2019 His alto has a big broad tone, at times reminiscent of the bluesy tenor saxophones that came from Chicago in the late ’50s and early ’60s. — Martin Johnson, WSJ, "‘Stomping Off From Greenwood’ by Greg Ward Review," 17 Jan. 2019 Não é fácil, mas juntos nossas vozes soam mais alto equanto mais barulho fizermos, mais difícil será para ignorarem nosso pedido de igualdade. — Pabllo Vittar, Billboard, "Pabllo Vittar: Love Letter to the LGBTQ Community," 26 June 2018 The alto cirrus indicate a change in weather, the mare’s tail mean high-altitude winds, the cumulus means building moisture. — Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle, "Nature’s fortune-tellers predicted wild weather for Memorial Day weekend," 28 May 2018 Dawn McCarthy, whose Faun Fables opens the evening, lends her dark alto to the song and is answered by distant, ghoulish laughter. — Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader, "Chicago prog-rock icons Cheer-Accident achieves a new creative apex nearly four decades into its career with Fades," 31 May 2018 At the beginning of the Mass for Double Choir by the Swiss composer Frank Martin, simple, flowing lines for the altos evoke the purity of Gregorian chant. — Barbara Jepson, New York Times, "Interest Grows in a Master of Choral Mystery and Power," 25 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The front line would feature MacArthur Fellowship winner and alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon (from Puerto Rico) and Thelonious Monk contest winner and tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana (Chile). — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "Jazz Fest review: A new band makes history and lights up festival’s finale," 2 Sep. 2019 The quartet features Michael Couper on soprano sax, Matt Ennis on alto sax, Brad Nash on tenor sax and Todd Rewoldt on baritone sax. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Local Sierra Club marks environmental milestones," 21 Aug. 2019 The golden notes of Harjo’s alto saxophone fill the dark corners of a drab university auditorium as the audience breathes in her music. — Élan Young, Smithsonian, "Joy Harjo’s New Poetry Collection Brings Native Issues to the Forefront," 13 Aug. 2019 Eventually, Segal moved the celebration to August and expanded it to run the full month, a fitting tribute to the greatest alto saxophone virtuoso in jazz and a co-founder of the predominant jazz language of the 20th century. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "The Jazz Showcase celebrates Charlie Parker again ... for the 65th time," 30 July 2019 For this gig, she’s joined by bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, who put in a seminal stint in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and alto saxophonist Jon Gordon, a fleet and fiery improviser too rarely heard in the Bay Area. — Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, "10 top acts highlight the 30th San Jose Jazz summer fest," 30 July 2019 With a searing alto tone that can flare from blue flame glow to bright orange grit within a phrase, Fuller has emerged as a formidable bandleader over the past decade, with four impressive albums on Mack Avenue Records. — Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, "Beyonce sax player Tia Fuller lands in SF Bay Area for 3 shows," 5 June 2019 Thomas Brill knew how to play the piano, organ, violin, flute and alto saxophone, his sister said. — Michael Williams, orlandosentinel.com, "Inmate at Seminole County jail dead in apparent suicide, authorities say," 3 June 2019 Both saxophonists evoke the concise, often clipped, syntax of Mr. Threadgill’s playing without resorting to mimicry: Mr. Filiú (who also plays alto flute) with an urgent intensity, and Mr. Macdonald through more of a narrative arc. — Larry Blumenfeld, WSJ, "‘Double Up, Plays Double Up Plus’ and ‘Dirt… and More Dirt’ Reviews," 22 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alto.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for alto
alto
noun
English Language Learners Definition of alto
(Entry 1 of 2)
music
: a singing voice that is lower than the voice of a soprano and higher than the voice of a tenor
also
: a singer having such a voice
alto
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of alto (Entry 2 of 2)
: having a range that is lower than a soprano and higher than a tenor
See the full definition for alto in the English Language Learners Dictionary
alto
noun
al·to
| \ ˈal-tō
\
\
plural altos
Kids Definition of alto
1
: the lowest female singing voice
2
: the second highest part in harmony that has four parts
3
: a singer or an instrument having an alto range or part
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