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alumna

[ uh-luhm-nuh ]
/ əˈlʌm nə /
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noun, plural a·lum·nae [uh-luhm-nee, -nahy] /əˈlʌm ni, -naɪ/.

a woman who is a graduate or former student of a specific school, college, or university.

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Alumni vs. AlumnusDo you know if you’re an alumnus or an alumni? Alumni actually is the plural form of alumnus, a Latin word that means a graduate or former student of an educational institution. Although alumnus usually refers to academics, it can also mean a former employee, associate, or member of any organized group. Alumni refers to more than one alumnus (think of a graduating class). The …
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RELATED WORDS

alum, postgraduate

Nearby words

  1. aluminum oxide,
  2. aluminum plant,
  3. aluminum silicate,
  4. aluminum soap,
  5. aluminum sulfate,
  6. alumni,
  7. alumnus,
  8. alumroot,
  9. alundum,
  10. alunite

Origin of alumna

1880–85, Americanism; < Latin: foster daughter, pupil; feminine of alumnus
Can be confusedalum alumna alumnae alumni alumnus (see usage note at alumnus)

Usage note

See alumnus.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for alumna

British Dictionary definitions for alumna

alumna

/ (əˈlʌmnə) /

noun plural -nae (-niː)

mainly US and Canadian a female graduate of a school, college, etc

Word Origin for alumna

C19: feminine of alumnus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for alumna

alumna

n.

see alumnus.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper