alumnus
[ uh-luhm-nuh s ]
/ əˈlʌm nəs /
noun, plural a·lum·ni [uh-luhm-nahy, -nee] /əˈlʌm naɪ, -ni/.
a graduate or former student of a specific school, college, or university.
a former associate, employee, member, or the like: He invited all the alumni of the library staff to the party.
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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 …
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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Nearby words
aluminum silicate, aluminum soap, aluminum sulfate, alumna, alumni, alumnus, alumroot, alundum, alunite, alunogen, alure
Origin of alumnus
1635–45; < Latin: foster son, pupil, equivalent to al- (stem of alere to feed, support) + -u- (< stem-vowel *-o- in interior syllable) + -m(i)nus, orig. passive participial suffix (cf. adult, old), akin to Greek -menos; see phenomenon
Usage note
Alumnus (in Latin a masculine noun) refers to a male graduate or former student; the plural is alumni. An alumna (in Latin a feminine noun) refers to a female graduate or former student; the plural is alumnae. Traditionally, the masculine plural alumni has been used for groups composed of both sexes and is still widely so used: the alumni of Indiana University. Sometimes, to avoid any suggestion of sexism, both terms are used for mixed groups: the alumni/alumnae of Indiana University or the alumni and alumnae of Indiana University. While not quite equivalent in meaning, the terms graduate and graduates avoid the complexities of the Latin forms and eliminate any need for using a masculine plural form to refer to both sexes.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
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British Dictionary definitions for alumni
alumnus
/ (əˈlʌmnəs) /
noun plural -ni (-naɪ)
mainly US and Canadian a graduate of a school, college, etc
Word Origin for alumnus
C17: from Latin: nursling, pupil, foster son, from alere to nourish
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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