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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Bell Jar
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
See Examples For:
“What I was learning in my history class is what my video production project would be about,” said Andrea Altamirano, a Hollywood High School New Media Academy ’22 video production pathway alumna.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Among the well wishers in the comments were TV presenter Rochelle Humes, TV personality Stacey Solomon, and Love Island alumna Maura Higgins.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
An alumna of what was then called North Texas State University and Howard University, Shepard also had a minor role in “The Wiz.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 2026
"In nonlinear optics, light can be reshaped to create new colors, faster pulses or optical switches that turn signals on and off," said Kunyan Zhang, a Rice doctoral alumna and first author of the study.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2025
“What improvements?” an alumna called out in alarm.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
They were ultimately swayed, he said, by appeals from more than a thousand of the camp’s alumnae loyalists and families eager for their daughters to return this summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
The College of Charleston is nearly 70% female, and those alumnae opened up my understanding of this whole story.
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2024
Padilla is one of two Bishop Montgomery alumnae on USC’s roster, joining guard Kayla Williams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2024
The petition had been launched by alumnae of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, who opposed the liberal arts school’s plan.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 28, 2023
Helena and her friend Pokey were alumnae of Vassar. applicable.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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.
