alto
/ˈæltəʊ/noun
(pl. -os) Music 【乐】
1
- (especially in church music) the highest adult male singing voice (sometimes distinguished from the counter-tenor voice as using falsetto)（尤指圣乐）高男高音（有时区别于用假声唱的男声最高音）。
1.1
- the lowest female singing voice; contralto女低音。
1.2
- a person with such a voice高男高音歌手; 女低音歌手。
1.3
- a part written for such a voice高男高音部乐章; 女低音部乐章。
2
- as modifier denoting the member of a family of instruments pitched second or third highest（乐器）中音的; 次中音的：
alto flute.
中音笛。
2.1
- an alto instrument, especially an alto saxophone中音乐器（尤指中音萨克斯）。
词源
late 16th cent.: from Italian alto （canto） 'high (song)'.