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
Phil KloerExamples of alma mater in a Sentence
I visited my old alma mater last week.
Recent Examples on the Web
At Katharine’s alma mater, Bryn Mawr, the General Electric Foundation established a fellowship program in her honor in 1980, but that program ended 13 years later in 1993.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
Vukosa’s high school Christ the King in Queens, New York, is the alma mater of Huskies legends Tina Charles and Sue Bird as well as two-time NCAA champion guard Lorin Dixon.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Bryant, who graduated in 2006, will be rooting for his former coach on Friday when his alma mater plays for the Division V state championship under the guidance of Bort Escoto, who piloted the Spartans to the City Division II title on the same night Palisades won the Open Division.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
The couple, who went on to have three children, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, was also recently recognized by their alma mater.
—Sergy Odiduro, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
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Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
Vukosa’s high school Christ the King in Queens, New York, is the alma mater of Huskies legends Tina Charles and Sue Bird as well as two-time NCAA champion guard Lorin Dixon.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Bryant, who graduated in 2006, will be rooting for his former coach on Friday when his alma mater plays for the Division V state championship under the guidance of Bort Escoto, who piloted the Spartans to the City Division II title on the same night Palisades won the Open Division.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
The couple, who went on to have three children, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, was also recently recognized by their alma mater.
—Sergy Odiduro, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alma mater
Cite this Entry
“Alma mater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alma%20mater. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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