Origin of altItalian alto from Classical Latin altus, high: see altitude
- the first octave above the treble staff
- a tone in this octave
- The first octave above the treble staff.
- A note or tone in the alt octave.
Origin of altLatin altus high ; see al-2 in Indo-European roots.
- Espousing or reflecting values different from those of the establishment or of mainstream culture. Often used in combination: alt-rock music; an alt-weekly newspaper.
- Existing outside traditional or established institutions or systems. Often used in combination: alt-fuels; an alt-lifestyle.
Origin of altShort for alternative
- A modifier key.
- (law) Abbreviation of alternative.
This is the customary abbreviation of this term as used in case citations. See, e.g., The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, Nineteenth Edition (2010), "Case Names and Institutional Authors in Citations", Table T6, p. 430-431.