alt
/ɑlt/noun, adjective, verb
alt is spelled A-L-T: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 6.5 times per million words in written English, the 9,463rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, alt means “Of a voice or instrument, high pitch; especially, the octave above the top line of the treble stave” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of alt is alts.
How many letters and syllables are in alt?
| Letters | 3: A-L-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 6.5 times per million words; the 9,463rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is alt?
Alt appears 6.5 times per million words in written English, the 9,463rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce alt?
- UK /ɔːlt/
- UK /ɒlt/
- US /ɑlt/
Alt has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-alt.wav, GenAm-alt-recording.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Flame,_not_lame-Alt.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with alt?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as alt from its last stressed vowel (/ɑlt/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: lat.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of alt
- alts plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- alting participle, present
- alted participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does alt mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Of a voice or instrument, high pitch; especially, the octave above the top line of the treble stave.
- 2
archaicA state of excitement, a heightened emotional condition.
- 3
Clipping of altitude.
- 4
An alternate or secondary account.
- 5
An alternate account.
You've been here four days and you already know about the incident from last year? You're such an obvious alt.
- 6
An alternative investment or alternative fund.
liquid alts
- 7
An alternate version of a piece of art, especially without much changes beyond a specific thing.
- 8
Ellipsis of alt text.
- 9
Synonym of altbier.
verb
- 1
To use an alternate or secondary account.
I got banned so I'm alting.
noun
- 1
A modifier key used to change (alternate) the function of other pressed keys.
noun
- 1
Initialism of alanine transaminase.
- 2
Initialism of Assistant Language Teacher.
adjective
- 1
Clipping of alternate.
alt key
- 2
Clipping of alternative, especially as a cultural phenomenon seen as being outside the mainstream of its genre.
alt medicine
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Where does alt come from?
From Latin altus (“high”). Doublet of old and alto.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).