alma mater

[ahl-muh mah-ter, al-, al-muh mey-ter]

noun

1. a school, college, or university at which one has studied and, usually, from which one has graduated.

2. the official anthem of a school, college, or university.

alma mater

/ ˈmeɪtə, ˈælmə ˈmɑːtə /

noun

1. (often capitals) one's school, college, or university

alma mater

1. The school or university from which one graduated. The term also refers to a school's official song: “The reunion began with everyone singing the alma mater.” From Latin, meaning “nurturing mother.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of alma mater¹

< Latin: nourishing (i.e., dear) mother

Word History and Origins

Origin of alma mater¹

C17: from Latin: bountiful mother

Idioms and Phrases

Also, Alma Mater. The school or college one attended and, usually, graduated from, as in During football season I always check to see how my alma mater is doing. This expression sometimes refers to the institution's official song, as in I never did learn the words to my college's alma mater. The term is Latin for “kind mother.” [c. 1800]

Example Sentences

Even so, on this particular autumn morning, Penelope found herself feeling rather homesick for her alma mater.

Read more on Literature

Nowadays, of course, “alma mater” is what people call the place where they went to school and, one hopes, were fed countless yummy bites of knowledge from a vast and scrumptious buffet of education.

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I will be sure to seek out graduates of your alma mater should the palace ever require additional staff to care for the princes and princesses.

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During the burglary, the South American theft gang made off with dozens of items of jewelry, including a class ring from his alma mater, Duke University.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And second, he worried that the widening revenue gap between the Big Ten, the SEC and everyone else would soon leave his beloved alma mater in the dust.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• academy 

When To Use

What does alma mater mean?

An alma mater is the school, college, or university that someone has graduated from.It’s most commonly used to refer to a college or university, but it can also refer to a high school.The term is associated with pride in one’s school. It’s often used by those who network and keep in touch with other graduates and continue to identify as a graduate of the school after they have left.The term alma mater can also refer to the official song of a school, college, or university.Example: Since Jade graduated from Temple University, she has not stopped talking about her alma mater.