alto

[ˈal̪t̪o]

/[ˈal̪t̪o]/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“alto” is in the everyday core of Spanish, ranked #413 in Spanish word frequency and used as an adjective.

#413
frequency rank, Spanish
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Levantado, elevado sobre la tierra.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

alto vs at
50% similar
alto vs ao
50% similar
alto vs año
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for alto
PropertyValue
Headwordalto
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈal̪t̪o]
Letters4
Frequency rank#413
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “alto” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). alto lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for alto is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈal̪t̪o]. Corpus data places it at rank #413 in overall Spanish word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for alto, with forms such as "allto", "alot", and "altto". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "at", "ao", "año", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Spanish form is alto, spelled A-L-T-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Levantado, elevado sobre la tierra.
  2. 2
    De gran estatura o tamaño.
  3. 3
    Profundo.
  4. 4
    Hablando de un río o arroyo, muy crecido.
  5. 5
    Arduo, difícil.
  6. 6
    Hablando de delitos, grande, grave.
  7. 7
    Dicho del precio de las cosas, caro o subido.
  8. 8
    Se dice de la fiesta movible o de la cuaresma, que cae más tarde que otros años.
  9. 9
    Dicho del vestido de una mujer: Corto.
  10. 10
    Impresionante, increíble, de excelente calidad.

This word in other languages

high(English)haut(Français)hoch(Deutsch)alto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: allto,alot,altto,atlo,lato

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of alto - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

allto1alot2altto1atlo2lato2
Edit distance from "alto"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "alto"?
"alto" is spelled A-L-T-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈal̪t̪o].
What does "alto" mean?
As an adjective, "alto" means: Levantado, elevado sobre la tierra.
What words are commonly confused with "alto"?
"alto" is commonly confused with "at", "ao", "año". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "alto"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alto" is [ˈal̪t̪o]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "alto" come from?
"alto" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “alto”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is A-L-T-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈal̪t̪o] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “at” - see the side-by-side comparison. alto vs at
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list