alt key

noun

A key on a personal computer or terminal keyboard used in combination to alter the function of other keys.

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Meanings

nounalt key (plural alt keys)

plural alt keys

  1. computingA key on a personal computer or terminal keyboard used in combination to alter the function of other keys.

Origin

First use appears c. 1964 on the computer keyboard of the PDP-6 TECO.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مِفْتَاح التَّبْدِيلِ
  • مِفْتَاح التَّبْدِيلِ (miftāḥ at-tabdīli)computing: a key on a keyboard
Chinese Mandarin 轉換鍵 /转换键
  • 轉換鍵 /转换键 (zhuǎnhuànjiàn)computing: a key on a keyboard
Dutch alt-toets
  • alt-toetscomputing: a key on a keyboard
Esperanto alt-klavo
  • alt-klavocomputing: a key on a keyboard
Finnish Alt-näppäin, vaihtoehtonäppäin
  • Alt-näppäincomputing: a key on a keyboard
  • vaihtoehtonäppäincomputing: a key on a keyboard
French touche Alt, touche alternative
  • touche Altcomputing: a key on a keyboard
  • touche alternativecomputing: a key on a keyboard
German Alt-Taste
  • Alt-Tastecomputing: a key on a keyboard
Greek πλήκτρο Alt
  • πλήκτρο Alt (plíktro Alt)computing: a key on a keyboard
Hebrew אלט
  • אלט (alt)computing: a key on a keyboard
Japanese オルトキー, オルト
  • オルトキー (oruto kī)computing: a key on a keyboard
  • オルト (oruto)computing: a key on a keyboard
Korean 알트 키, 알트
  • 알트 키 (alteu ki)computing: a key on a keyboard
  • 알트 (alteu)computing: a key on a keyboard
Polish alt
  • altcomputing: a key on a keyboard
Portuguese tecla Alt
  • tecla Altcomputing: a key on a keyboard
Romanian tastă Alt
  • tastă Altcomputing: a key on a keyboard
Russian альт, кла́виша альт
  • альт (alʹt)computing: a key on a keyboard
  • кла́виша альт (kláviša alʹt)computing: a key on a keyboard
Spanish tecla Alt, tecla alterna
  • tecla Altcomputing: a key on a keyboard
  • tecla alternacomputing: a key on a keyboard
Turkish Alt tuşu, alternatif tuşu
  • Alt tuşucomputing: a key on a keyboard
  • alternatif tuşucomputing: a key on a keyboard
Vietnamese phím Alt
  • phím Altcomputing: a key on a keyboard
Cite this entry
APA

alt key. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alt%20key

MLA

“alt key.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alt%20key. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alt key,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alt%20key.

Source: alt key on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.