Where does “alt” come from?

Alt comes from English alternative, from Middle French alternatif, from Latin alter meaning "other" and altus meaning "high," both descended from Latin ad-.

alt (English): High pitch, of a voice or instrument; especially,...

Definitions

  1. High pitch, of a voice or instrument; especially,...

Ancestry of “alt”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinaltushigh, tall; deep; profound
2Proto-Italicaltos—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eltós—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-to grow, nourish
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eltós →Every word from Proto-Italic altos →