A Spanish title of honor or respect, similar to 'highness,' used to address royalty or nobility.
From Spanish alteza, derived from Latin altus meaning 'high.' The suffix -eza creates the abstract noun form, literally meaning 'highness' or 'elevation' in rank.
Spanish nobility titles like alteza reflect the same Latin root 'altus' found in English words like 'altitude' and 'altitude'—all flowing from the concept of elevation, whether physical height or social standing.
Alteza (Spanish/Portuguese 'Highness') similarly carries feminine grammatical endings despite applying to all royalty. In gendered Romance languages, royal titles embedded feminine noun forms even when addressing men, reflecting historical linguistic conflation of title form with sex.
Use 'Alteza' with the appropriate royal prefix (Ilustrísima, Serenísima) based on the person's identity and preference, not assumed gender. Modern Spanish and Portuguese usage is increasingly neutral in application.
["Su Alteza Real","Su Majestad","the gender-neutral royal address"]
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