Where does “alt-rock” come from?

alt-rock (English) comes from English Rock, from English rock and roll, from English and, from Middle English an, from Old English ond, from Old English and, from Proto-Germanic andi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti — on, onto.

Ancestry of “alt-rock”, step by step

alt-rock traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Rock

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRockfor someone living near a rock or an oak (atter + oke)
2Englishrock and rollA genre of popular music that evolved in the...
3EnglishandAs a coordinating conjunction; expressing two...
4Middle EnglishanAlternative form of in; Alternative form of and;...
5Old Englishondand
6Old Englishandand; even; also
7Proto-Germanicandiin addition, furthermore, and
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntiopposite; near; in front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via English Alt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishAltA modifier key used to change the function of...
2GermanAltalto; A type of beer, typical to the Rhineland...
3Middle High Germanalt
4Old High Germanaltold
5Proto-West Germanicaldold
6Proto-Germanicaldazold, grown up
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eltós
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-to grow, nourish

Words derived from “alt-rock

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en-
alt-rock — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer