alma mater

noun

al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmä-tər How to pronounce alma mater (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hannah’s alma mater posted about the accident in a message shared to Facebook on May 13, while Hannah was still in the hospital in the Bahamas. Toria Sheffield, People.com, 24 May 2025 The basketball program at his alma mater, Florida State University, had won only 17 games and failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament, and Mann wanted to help. Justin Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 Before coming to Maryland, Smith most recently worked with the Atlanta Braves and Falcons in front office roles and his alma mater Ohio State as the president of its alumni association. Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2025 In the meetings, Nuñez cast herself as a homegrown success story who rose from a summer job at the registrar’s office to the governor’s second-in-command — and now hopes to lead her alma mater full time. Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for alma mater

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fostering mother

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alma mater was in 1650

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Cite this Entry

“Alma mater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alma%20mater. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

alma mater

noun
al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmät-ər How to pronounce alma mater (audio)
: 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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