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

However, Thomas’ post does come as his alma mater, the University of Alabama, finds itself in a controversy. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Then, just before the bowl game, Lynn left for the same job at his alma mater, Penn State, after rejecting the school’s advances a year earlier. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026

In December, students walked out of Jones’ alma mater, Apple Valley High School, to protest the initial wave of local ICE activity. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026

Attendees are urged to dress to represent your fraternity, sorority or alma mater. —Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fostering mother

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for alma mater

• annunciator
• imprimatur
• underwater
• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater

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