contralto

== English == === Etymology === Contraction of contratenor alto, from Latin contratenor altus. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɒnˈtɹæltəʊ/, /kɒnˈtɹɑːltəʊ/ Rhymes: -æltəʊ, -ɑːltəʊ === Noun === contralto (plural contraltos or contralti) (music) The lowest female voice or voice part, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. The terms contralto and alto refer to the same musical pitch range, but among singers, the term contralto is reserved for female singers; the equivalent male form is counter-tenor. Originally the contratenor altus was a high countermelody sung against the tenor or main melody. ==== Synonyms ==== alto ==== Coordinate terms ==== (voice types): soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto (female); countertenor, tenor, baritone, bass (male) ==== Related terms ==== contratenor altus alto tenor ==== Translations ==== == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɔ̃.tʁal.to/ === Noun === contralto m (plural contraltos) contralto === Further reading === “contralto”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Italian == === Etymology === From contra- +‎ alto. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /konˈtral.to/ Rhymes: -alto Hyphenation: con‧tràl‧to === Noun === contralto m (plural contralti) contralto (female) counter-tenor (male) ==== Derived terms ==== contraltile ==== Descendants ==== → Portuguese: contralto == Portuguese == === Etymology === Borrowed from Italian contralto. === Pronunciation === Rhymes: (Portugal) -altu, (Brazil) -awtu Hyphenation: con‧tral‧to === Noun === contralto m (plural contraltos) (music) contralto (voice between tenor and mezzo-soprano) (music) contralto (singer with this voice) ==== Related terms ==== contra-, contra alto === References === === Further reading === “contralto”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “contralto”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /konˈtɾalto/ [kõn̪ˈt̪ɾal̪.t̪o] Rhymes: -alto Syllabification: con‧tral‧to === Noun === contralto f (plural contraltos) contralto === Further reading === “contralto”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025