alumna
Americannoun
plural
alumnaenoun
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.
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.
Sara is an alumna of the University of Virginia and Columbia University's School of Journalism.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026
The “Little House on the Prairie” alumna, 61, spoke out on Monday, issuing a statement of gratitude and reflection to the Instagram page of her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026
Consumer Cards, which is to be led by Pam Habner, a JPMorgan Chase alumna who currently heads branded cards and lending.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025
Researchers from George Mason University's College of Public Health and College of Science, led by alumna Sumaiya Safia Irfan and student Veronica Sanchez, examined 21 experimental studies conducted between 2005 and 2025.
From Science Daily • Nov. 8, 2025
“What improvements?” an alumna called out in alarm.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
