Altos

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Alto \Al"to\, n.; pl. {Altos}. [It. alto high, fr. L. altus. Cf.
     {Alt}.]
     1. (Mus.) Formerly the part sung by the highest male, or
        counter-tenor, voices; now the part sung by the lowest
        female, or contralto, voices, between in tenor and
        soprano. In instrumental music it now signifies the tenor.


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     2. An alto singer.
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     {Alto clef} (Mus.) the counter-tenor clef, or the C clef,
        placed so that the two strokes include the middle line of
        the staff. --Moore.
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