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Is it acceptable to use alum for alumnus or alumna?
The words that we have used to refer to people who have attended or graduated from a school, college, or university have changed a bit over the past several centuries. Traditionally, the word alumnus has been used to refer to a single male, whereas alumna has been used for a single woman. Initially the plural forms were alumni to refer to multiple men (or multiple men and women) and alumnae for multiple women. A little over a hundred years ago the shortened form of alum began to be used to describe a graduate or past attendee of either gender. Although many people feel that alum is informal, it is in increasing use, and we appear to be moving toward a greater acceptance of the word. The plural of alum is alums.
Examples of alum in a Sentence
Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
Before the final result, one pre-game watch party in downtown Indianapolis was packed, featuring some Illinois alums from just about every class who were happy to see the turnout.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
In February, the now 42-year-old West Aurora High School alum released a podcast about this unsolved case that has garnered more than 30,000 downloads, and that both Podcast Review and the BBC have listed as one of the top true crime podcasts so far for 2026.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Executive produced by Call Her Daddy's Alex Cooper, the show will also feature Mormon Wives star Demi Engemann, Anna Delvey, and Bachelor in Paradise alums Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alum
Cite this Entry
“Alum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alum. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
alum
noun
called also potassium alum
called also ammonia alum, ammonium alum
