(US, finance) Of a mortgage loan, that does not conform to the traditional standards of Fannie Mae, but is presented as having an A credit rating, based on the borrower's FICO credit score.
Alt-A means: Of a mortgage loan, that does not conform to the traditional standards of Fannie Mae, but is presented as having an A credit rating, based on the borrower's FICO credit score.. It is finance or tax vocabulary; usage is usually formal or news-related rather than peer slang. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
Alt-A means: Of a mortgage loan, that does not conform to the traditional standards of Fannie Mae, but is presented as having an A credit rating, based on the borrower's FICO credit score.. Register: formal or technical, finance/tax English. Standard in its technical domain but rare in everyday talk; gloss with a plain synonym when writing for a general audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
No comments yet — say something.
Alt-A means: Of a mortgage loan, that does not conform to the traditional standards of Fannie Mae, but is presented as having an A credit rating, based on the borrower's FICO credit score.. It is finance or tax vocabulary; usage is usually formal or news-related rather than peer slang. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Add your own interpretation of "Alt-A".
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with A.