* Misspelling: Perhaps you meant "altar" or "altar cloth," which is a cloth covering the altar in a church.
* Regional term: It might be a word from a specific dialect or region. Could you tell me where you heard or read the word?
* Onomatopoeia: It could be a word that imitates a sound, like "tap-tap."
Please provide more context so I can give you a more accurate answer.