Where does “alto recorder” come from?

alto recorder (English) comes from English alto, from Spanish alto, from Italian alto, from Latin altus, from Proto-Italic altos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eltós, from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- — to grow, nourish.

Ancestry of “alto recorder”, step by step

alto recorder traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English alto

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishaltoA musical part or section higher than tenor and...
2Spanishaltotall; high; loud
3Italianaltohigh, tall; deep; loud
4Latinaltushigh, tall; deep; profound
5Proto-Italicaltos—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eltós—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-to grow, nourish

via English recorder

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrecorderAn apparatus for recording; a device which...
2Middle Englishrecorder—
3Middle Englishrecordto practice
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- →