contralto

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the lowest standard female singing voice, below mezzo-soprano

   Her rich contralto gave the final aria unusual depth.

2. 2
   noun

   a woman who sings in the contralto range

   The renowned contralto performed at the opera house.

3. 3
   adj

   having or written for the lowest female vocal range

   The composer rewrote the melody for a contralto voice.

Borrowed from Italian contralto, a contraction of contratenor alto, literally a high counter-tenor part, from Latin contra, 'against,' and altus, 'high.' In modern vocal classification it names the lowest female range and a singer who has it.

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