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.
Fellow Hawks guard Terance Mann also joined his alma mater, Florida State, as assistant GM in early April. Lauren Merola, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 Bibby has no college coaching experience but recently led his high school alma mater Phoenix Shadow Mountain to five state championships. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025 Wright left the Vikings to join his alma mater, serving as an assistant on former Bowling Green coach Michael Huger’s staff from 2020-23. Andy Theobald, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025 Greek students are also more likely to be employed after graduation and are more likely to report a positive attachment to their alma mater. Wynn Smiley, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alma mater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alma%20mater. Accessed 3 May. 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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