alumna
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What’s the difference between alumna, alumnus, and alumni? An alumna is a female graduate of a school, such as a high school or university. In Latin, alumnus specifically refers to a male graduate, and sometimes this distinction is carried into English. However, alumnus is also commonly used in a gender-neutral way, as is its plural, alumni. What is the plural of alumna?The plural of alumna is alumnae. This follows the plural ending construction used in other Latin-derived words, like antenna and antennae. The informal shortening alum is used to refer to a single graduate (regardless of gender). It’s sometimes pluralized as alums. Here’s an example of alumna and alumnae used correctly in the same sentence. Example: As an alumna, you share something with all of the alumnae, regardless of when each of you graduated. Want to learn more? Read the breakdown of the difference between alumnus and alumni.
Gender
What's the difference between alumna, alumnus, and alum? See alumnus.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of alumna
An Americanism dating back to 1840–45; from Latin: literally, “foster daughter, pupil”; feminine of alumnus
Explanation
Alumna is the feminine form of "alumnus," meaning someone who graduated from a school. An alumna is a female graduate. This word sometimes means a graduate of either gender, but it's most commonly a woman who graduates from any school — whether grammar school, high school, college, university, or med school. Schools are often proud of a famous alumna, and there might be pictures on the wall to honor them. As an alumna, you might go back for school reunions. When you're talking about a group of graduates, the word is alumni, which usually means men and women.
Vocabulary lists containing alumna
Hunger of Memory
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The Bell Jar
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Alumna Kamala D. Harris ascended to the vice presidency, a first for any woman.
From Washington Post • Oct. 21, 2021
The board eventually voted in June to grant Hannah-Jones, a UNC Alumna, a tenured position, but she took one at Howard University -- also endowed by the Knight Foundation.
From Fox News • Jul. 31, 2021
Alumna Barbara Ross-Lee, speaks during the afternoon ceremony.
From Washington Times • Dec. 2, 2016
She was headed last Thursday back to Milwaukee, where she was to receive her high school’s Alumna of the Year award, honoring her achievements.
From Washington Post • Oct. 1, 2016
Bryn Mawr College followed Bryn Mawr tradition and last week chose a scholar to be its fourth president: Alumna Katharine Elizabeth McBride, who at 37 became one of the youngest college presidents in the U.S.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
