countertenor

See also: counter-tenor and counter tenor

English

Alternative forms

• counter-tenor, counter tenor

Etymology

From Latin contrātenor. By surface analysis, counter- +‎ tenor.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

countertenor (plural countertenors)

1. An adult male singer who uses head tone or falsetto to sing far higher than the typical male vocal range.
2. A male singing voice far higher than the typical male vocal range.
   • 2014 August 8, Rupert Christiansen, “The truth about falsettos [print version: 12 August 2014, p. R8]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review)‎^[1]:

     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.

3. (historical) A part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part.

Coordinate terms

• (voice types): soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto (female); countertenor, tenor, baritone, bass (male)

Related terms

• contratenor
• contratenor altus
• contratenor bassus

Translations

adult male singer

• Catalan: contratenor m
• Finnish: kontratenori (fi)
• French: contreténor (fr) m
• Georgian: კონტრტენორი (ḳonṭrṭenori)
• German: Countertenor (de) m
• Italian: contraltista (it) m
• Polish: kontratenor (pl) m
• Portuguese: contratenor m
• Spanish: contratenor m

singing voice

• Georgian: კონტრტენორი (ḳonṭrṭenori)
• German: Countertenor (de) m
• Hungarian: kontratenor (hu)
• Polish: kontratenor (pl) m

a part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part

• Catalan: contratenor m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 假聲男高音／假声男高音 (jiǎshēng nángāoyīn)

• Finnish: kontratenori (fi)
• French: contreténor (fr) m
• German: Countertenor (de) m
• Japanese: カウンターテナー (ja) (kauntātenā)
• Russian: контрте́нор (ru) m (kontrténor)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Italian: ^{(please verify)} controtenore (it)
• Japanese: ^{(please verify)} 反対の方針 (hantai no hōshin)
• Korean: ^{(please verify)} 카운터테너 (kaunteoteneo)
• Slovene: ^{(please verify)} kontratenor m