<B>alto, </B>noun, pl. <B>-tos,</B> adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Music.) <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1a. </B>the lowest woman's voice; contralto. <DD><B> b. </B>the highest man's voice; countertenor. <DD><B> 2. </B>a singer with such a voice. <DD><B> 3. </B>a part in music for such a voice or for an instrument of similar range. <DD><B> 4a. </B>an instrument playing such a part, as a viola, recorder, or althorn. <DD><B> b. </B><B>=althorn.</B> <DD><I>adj. </I> of or for an alto; that can sing or play an alto part. <BR> <I>Ex. an alto voice, an alto saxophone.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="altoclef">
<B>alto clef,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the C clef when the clef symbol is placed on the third line of the staff. </DL>
<A NAME="altocumulus">
<B>alto-cumulus</B> or <B>altocumulus, </B>noun, pl. <B>-li.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a fleecy cloud formation consisting of a layer of small, white or grayish-white, rounded clouds, usually with shaded portions, at heights of from 8,000 to 20,000 feet. </DL>
<A NAME="altoflute">
<B>alto flute,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a type of large flute that has wider holes than the regular flute. </DL>
<A NAME="altogether">
<B>altogether, </B>adverb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adv. </I> <B>1. </B>to the whole extent; completely; entirely. <BR> <I>Ex. The house was altogether destroyed by fire.</I> (SYN) wholly, totally, thoroughly. <DD><B> 2. </B>on the whole; considering everything. <BR> <I>Ex. Altogether, he was well pleased.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>in all; all included. <BR> <I>Ex. Altogether there were 14 books.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a whole. <DD><B> 2. </B>a state of being unclothed; the nude. <BR> <I>Ex. The model posed in the altogether.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="altohorn">
<B>alto horn,</B> <B>=althorn.</B></DL>
<A NAME="altorelievo">
<B>alto-relievo, </B>noun, pl. <B>-vos.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>sculpture in which the figures stand out at least half their thickness from the background; high relief. <DD><B> 2. </B>a carving or piece of sculpture in high relief. <BR> <I>Ex. a fine bust of queen Elizabeth on onyx, alto-relievo in profile (Horace Walpole).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="altostratus">
<B>alto-stratus, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ti.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a sheetlike formation of gray or bluish clouds with an ill-defined base occurring at heights of from 6,500 to 20,000 feet. </DL>
<A NAME="altricial">
<B>altricial, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with birds that are born blind, usually without feathers, and thus helpless for some time after hatching. </DL>
<A NAME="altruism">
<B>altruism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>unselfish devotion to the interests and welfare of others; disinterested regard for others as a principle of action; unselfishness. (SYN) philanthropy, humanitarianism. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Zoology.) self-sacrificing behavior by an animal or group that benefits another animal or group. <BR> <I>Ex. Wilson concentrates in particular on altruism ... such behavior include ... cooperation among animals in warning against danger (E. M. Wood).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="altruist">
<B>altruist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who works for the welfare of others; unselfish person. <BR> <I>Ex. He drew an affecting portrait of himself as an altruist whose sole aim was to provide adequate housing (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="altruistic">
<B>altruistic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>thoughtful of the welfare of others; unselfish. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Zoology.) characterized by altruism. <BR> <I>Ex. altruistic social animals.</I> </DL>
<B>aludel, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a glass or earthenware apparatus resembling a pear-shaped pot, but open at both ends so that the neck of one can be fitted into the bottom of another, formerly used as a condenser in sublimation. </DL>
<A NAME="alula">
<B>alula, </B>noun, pl. <B>-lae.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a set of three or four quill-like feathers growing at a small joint in the middle of a bird's wing; bastard wing. </DL>
<A NAME="alular">
<B>alular, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or designating analula. </DL>
<A NAME="alum">
<B>alum, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a whitish mineral salt used in medicine and in dyeing; potash alum. A pencil of alum is sometimes used to stop the bleeding of a small cut. <DD><B> 2. </B>a colorless, crystalline salt containing ammonia, used in baking powder, foam fire extinguishers, the purification of drinking water, and in medicine; ammonia alum. <DD><B> 3. </B>any one of a group of double salts analogous to and including potash alum, formed by the union of the sulfate of a trivalent metal, such as aluminum, chromium, or iron, with the sulfate of a monovalent alkali metal or ammonium. <DD><B> 4. </B>(U.S.) <B>=aluminum sulfate.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="alumina">
<B>alumina, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a mineral occurring in nature as corundum, found mainly in bauxite and in clay or loam; aluminum oxide. Emery, rubies, and sapphires are crystalline forms of alumina colored by various impurities. Alumina is used in making aluminum, porcelain, and abrasives. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminate">
<B>aluminate, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a salt in which alumina acts toward the strongesr bases as an acid. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminiferous">
<B>aluminiferous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> yielding or containing aluminum, alumina, or alum. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminite">
<B>aluminite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a hydrated sulfate of alumina used in tanning, dyeing, and purifying water. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminium">
<B>aluminium, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (British and Canadian.) aluminum. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminize">
<B>aluminize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-nized,</B> <B>-nizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to treat, coat, or impregnate with aluminum. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminography">
<B>aluminography, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the art or process of producing and printing from aluminum plates instead of lithographic stones. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminon">
<B>aluminon, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an acid dye used for determining the presence of the aluminum ion. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminosilicate">
<B>aluminosilicate, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a compound of aluminum and silicon with a metal oxide or other radical (such as albite). Feldspars and zeolites are aluminosilicates. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminothermic">
<B>aluminothermic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with aluminothermy. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminothermics">
<B>aluminothermics, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> (sing. in use.) <B>=aluminothermy.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aluminothermy">
<B>aluminothermy, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the chemical combination of oxygen and aluminum to produce a high temperature and reduction of compounds of other metals. <DD><B> 2. </B>the science dealing with such processes. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminous">
<B>aluminous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or containing alum. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or containing aluminum. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminum">
<B>aluminum, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a silver-white metal that is strong, very light, and does not tarnish or rust easily. Aluminum is widely used in alloys, and for making pots and pans, automobile and aircraft parts, and instruments. It is a metallic chemical element, found abundantly in nature but occurring only in combination with otherelements (its compounds make up more than 15 per cent of the crust of the earth). <DD><I>adj. </I> of or containing aluminum. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumacetate">
<B>aluminum acetate,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a white, crystalline powder used as a waterproofing and fireproofing agent in textile manufacturing, as a mordant in dyeing, and as a disinfectant. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumbrass">
<B>aluminum brass,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a tough, hard kind of aluminum bronze. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumbromide">
<B>aluminum bromide,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a colorless or yellowish-white, crystalline compound used in organic synthesis. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumbronze">
<B>aluminum bronze,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> any one of certain alloys of copper and aluminum with small amounts of another metal or metals, as iron, nickel, or manganese, used in making firearms, marine fittings, etc. Some aluminum bronzes are equal to steel in hardness and strength. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumchloride">
<B>aluminum chloride,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a colorless or yellowish, crystalline compound used as a deodorant, as a disinfectant, and as a preservative for wood. In its anhydrous form it is used in the catalytic cracking of petroleum. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumhydroxide">
<B>aluminum hydroxide,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a white, odorless, tasteless powder used in waterproofing, in dyeing, as a glaze in ceramics, and in medicines. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumoxide">
<B>aluminum oxide,</B><B>=alumina.</B></DL>
<A NAME="aluminumpaint">
<B>aluminum paint,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a paint with insulating qualities produced by mixing flakes of aluminum with varnish and lacquer. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumsulfate">
<B>aluminum sulfate,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a white, crystalline salt, commercially available as a powder or in crystalline form, used in dyeing, medicine, water purification, as well as in the leather and paper industries. </DL>
<A NAME="aluminumware">
<B>aluminumware, </B>noun,<DL COMPACT><DD> or <B>aluminum ware,</B> kitchen utensils and other articles made of aluminum. </DL>
<A NAME="alumna">
<B>alumna, </B>noun, pl. <B>-nae.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Especially U.S.) a woman graduate or former student of a certain school, college, or university. </DL>
<A NAME="alumnae">
<B>alumnae, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> plural of <B>alumna.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="alumni">
<B>alumni, </B>noun, pl. of <B>alumnus.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> graduates or former students of a school, college, or university. "Alumni" may mean either men graduates or both men and women. </DL>
<A NAME="alumnus">
<B>alumnus, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ni.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a graduate or former student of a certain school, college, or university. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) a person who is a former resident, contributor, fellow worker, or who had some capacity in association with others. <BR> <I>Ex. Many a famous writer is an alumnus of a local newspaper or literary magazine.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="alumroot">
<B>alumroot, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>any one of several plants of the saxifrage family having astringent roots. <DD><B> b. </B><B>=crane's-bill.</B> <DD><B> 2. </B>the root of any of these. </DL>
<A NAME="alumstone">
<B>alum stone,</B> <B>=alunite.</B></DL>
<A NAME="alunalun">
<B>alun-alun, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a village square, in Malaya. </DL>
