English

altoist

From alto + -ist.

A compound of alto + -ist

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’

Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós

Proto-Italic *altos

Latin altus ‘high’

Italian alto ‘high’

English alto

Today it means

noun A person playing alto saxophone or some other alto instrument.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.