Meanings
plural countertenors · alternative counter-tenor · alternative counter tenor
- A male singing voice far higher than the typical male vocal range.
The term countertenor first appeared in England during the mid 17th century. However, the style of singing originated in Elizabethan cathedral choirs, eventually falling out of favour during the Romantic period.
2014 August 8, Rupert Christiansen, “The truth about falsettos [print version: 12 August 2014, p. R8]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review) - historicalA part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveof or being the highest male voice; having a range above that of tenor
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincontrātenor
- Englishcountertenor
From Latin contrātenor. By surface analysis, counter- + tenor.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian контратенор
- контратенор (kontratenor)adult male singer
Catalan contratenor, contratenor
- contratenoradult male singer
- contratenora part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part
Chinese Mandarin 高男高音, 假聲男高音 /假声男高音
- 高男高音 (gāonángāoyīn)adult male singer
- 假聲男高音 /假声男高音 (jiǎshēng nángāoyīn)adult male singer
- 假聲男高音 /假声男高音 (jiǎshēng nángāoyīn)a part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part
Finnish kontratenori, kontratenori
- kontratenoriadult male singer
- kontratenoria part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part
French contreténor, contreténor
- contreténoradult male singer
- contreténora part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part
German Countertenor, Countertenor
- Countertenoradult male singer
- Countertenorsinging voice
- Countertenora part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part
Hungarian kontratenor
- kontratenorsinging voice
Italian contraltista
- contraltistaadult male singer
Japanese カウンターテナー
- カウンターテナー (kauntātenā)a part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part
Polish kontratenor, kontratenor
- kontratenoradult male singer
- kontratenorsinging voice
Portuguese contratenor
- contratenoradult male singer
Russian контрте́нор
- контрте́нор (kontrténor)a part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part
Spanish contratenor, contratenor
- contratenoradult male singer
- contratenorsinging voice
Cite this entry
countertenor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countertenor
“countertenor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countertenor. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “countertenor,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countertenor.
Source: countertenor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.