alumnus

noun

alum·​nus ə-ˈləm-nəs 

plural alumni ə-ˈləm-ˌnī 

1

: a person who has attended or has graduated from a particular school, college, or university

an alumnus of Columbia University

—usually used of a man in the singular but often of men and women in the plural

2

: a person who is a former member, employee, contributor, or inmate

a Saturday Night Live alumnus

Did you know?

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 alumnus in a Sentence

Her parents are alumni of the state university.

Recent Examples on the Web

Just as his rugby season in France wrapped up last year, the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program which boasts alumni such as Super Bowl Champion Jordan Mailata came calling. —Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Other School Committee members noted Lima-Barbosa came back as a BPS alumni and complimented her commitment to community engagement and student voice. —Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 31 July 2025

Eberlein Drive is in the semifinals for the second consecutive year, while Best Virginia, a West Virginia alumni squad, has made its deepest run into TBT. —Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025

At the time, Pollio said the donation would largely be used to help schools lacking supplemental funding through parent-teacher associations, athletic events, booster clubs and alumni associations. —Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 31 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin, "male nursing child, man produced by some formative agent (as a nation or race)," from alere "to nourish" + -mn-, mediopassive participle suffix — more at old entry 1

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for alumnus

• dumbness
• numbness

Kids Definition

alumnus

noun

alum·​nus ə-ˈləm-nəs 

plural alumni -ˌnī 

: a person who has attended or has graduated from a particular school, college, or university

Etymology

Latin, literally "foster son," from alere "to nourish" — related to alimentary, alma mater