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

An additional 25% of the donations surpassing $500,000 will go towards establishing a scholarship in Martin's name at his alma mater, Utah Valley University. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 27 June 2025

Consider joining the local chapter of your alma mater, relevant professional association or even personal interest groups – job leads come from diverse sources! —Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

Her alma mater, the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, had operated its own mortuary before insufficient funds forced the college to close in 2006. —Calista Oetama, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2025

Wearing a National Baseball Hall of Fame cap and a Utah Utes T-shirt in honor of his alma mater, the 65-year-old Monfort appeared relaxed. —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 22 June 2025

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