alma mater

noun

al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmä-tər How to pronounce alma mater (audio)
1
: a school, college, or university which one has attended or from which one has graduated
went to a class reunion at his alma mater
2
: the song or hymn of a school, college, or university
"Hey, Harvard boy, sing your alma mater!" shouted an obnoxious producer.Phil Kloer

Examples of alma mater in a Sentence

I visited my old alma mater last week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Chris Meloni will return to his alma mater, Law & Order: SVU, for the upcoming 27th season of the perennially popular procedural, the actor confirmed in a recent Instagram post. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Aug. 2025 Speaking to graduates at Stanford University, her alma mater on June 15th, Ledecky emphasized that real achievement comes from internal drive, not external comparison. Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025 Today, Playmaker is used by his alma mater, Texas State, and other universities, like Stanford University in California, and high school coaches across Texas. Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 The university announced this week that Tomlinson gifted his gold Hall of Fame jacket to his alma mater. Alyssa Cooper, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for alma mater

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fostering mother

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alma mater was in 1650

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Cite this Entry

“Alma mater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alma%20mater. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

alma mater

noun
al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmät-ər How to pronounce alma mater (audio)
: a school, college, or university that one has attended
Etymology

Latin, literally "fostering mother," from almus "nourishing" (from alire "to nourish") and mater "mother" — related to alimentary, maternal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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