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

The Warriors’ coach was sitting behind his alma mater Arizona’s bench. —Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026

Then, at age 27, McCollum replaced coach Steve Tappmeyer at his alma mater in 2009. —Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2026

Daniel Gilbert funds alma mater, Michigan State Gilbert founded Rock Financial in 1985, which would eventually become mortgage behemoth Rocket Companies. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026

Alan Huss, who returned to his alma mater last April as associate head coach and head coach in waiting, will take over as Creighton’s head coach. —Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 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