alt.

prefix

Indicates a newsgroup, as used in fictional or hypothetical newsgroup names.

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Meanings

alt.1

adjective
  1. abbreviationAbbreviation of alternative.
prefix
  1. Indicates a newsgroup, as used in fictional or hypothetical newsgroup names.

    You've got your own newsgroup, alt.total-loser.

    1999, "Weird Al" Yankovic, “It's All About the Pentiums”, in Sean Combs (music), Running with Scissors
    2 more examples

    I was trying to say...Danny boy left the room during your hat sentence. He's gone back to alt.elitist.impatient-arrogant-farts-with-nsoh

    1999 December 21, Christiana, “Scripts available anywhere?”, in alt.fan.eddie-izzard (Usenet)

    If you're only interested in a socialist love-in, perhaps you should go to alt.bliss.ninnies?

    2001 October 15, Rev. J. Thaddius, “The War Against Dissent (Simon Haupt)”, in alt.anarchism (Usenet)

Alt.2

noun
  1. abbreviationlawAbbreviation of alternative.

Origin

For the "prefix", the alt.* hierarchy was one of the largest sections of the online discussion system Usenet. In contrast to the "mainstream" hierarchies, such as comp.* which related specifically to computing, alt.* was the "alternative" hierarchy where opinions were shared on a wide range of miscellaneous subjects.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

alt.. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alt.

MLA

“alt..” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alt.. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alt.,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alt..

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