alma mater

noun

al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmä-tər 

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

Olivia grew up in London and Oxfordshire and went on to attend Princess Kate's alma mater, Marlborough College, and Trinity College Dublin. —Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 7 June 2024

Manet is an alumnus of the United States Military Academy at West Point, the first Cambodian cadet to graduate West Point and Austin's alma mater as well. —Chris Boccia, ABC News, 4 June 2024

The pair got engaged in 2022 around Christmas, after a decades-long on-and-off relationship, which started at their alma mater, UCLA, in the 1990s. —Dominique Fluker, Essence, 3 June 2024

Palu’s ultimate goal is to become a professor and teach a Pacific Islander course at her alma mater. —Sabrina Bodon, Sacramento Bee, 30 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fostering mother

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

alma mater

noun

al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmät-ər 

: 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