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.
Following Krauss’ death, her alma mater, Saint Ignatius College Prep, paid tribute to the young woman, who had graduated earlier this year, ABC affiliate WLS reported. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2026 Now his alma mater is finding new and inventive connections to his papacy. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 Between campaign stops, Keisha Lance Bottoms returns to her alma mater. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026 In an appearance on the podcast On with Kara Swisher, Hastings addressed Anthropic and the broader AI landscape in addition to weighing in on his alma mater’s recent struggles. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for alma mater

See All Rhymes for alma mater

Browse Nearby Words

almain rivets
alma mater
alman
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Cite this Entry

“Alma mater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alma%20mater. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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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

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