Where does “alto” come from?
Alto derives from Italian alto, from Latin altus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂el-, a root meaning to grow or nourish.
alto (English): A musical part or section higher than tenor and...
Definitions
- A musical part or section higher than tenor and...
Ancestry of “alto”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Spanish | alto | tall; high; loud |
| 2 | Italian | alto | high, tall; deep; loud |
| 3 | Latin | altus | high, tall; deep; profound |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | altos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eltós | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂él- | to grow, nourish |
Words derived from “alto”