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Alumnus or Alumna?
Many people are comfortable using the word alumni to refer to someone who was a student of a particular school. However, others feel quite strongly that this is an error and that the following forms should be used: alumnus (for one male), alumni (for multiple males, or for a mix of males and females), alumna (for one female), and alumnae (for multiple females). The shortened form alum and its plural form alums began to be used in the 19th century. Initially, alum was widely viewed as highly colloquial or informal, but is increasing in use as a gender-neutral alternative.
Examples of alumna in a Sentence
David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Rosario Burgos Santoyo, a distinguished alumna of the University of San Diego School of Law, entered her legal career with a deep passion for advocating for those facing familial challenges.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024
Boy Meets World alumna Danielle Fishel has revealed she has been diagnosed with early breast cancer.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2024
On the most recent episode of Kinsey and fellow Office alumna Jenna Fischer’s re-watch podcast Office Ladies, the hosts dove into the 17th episode of the NBC sitcom’s final season.
—John Russell, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for alumna 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alumna.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Alumna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alumna. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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