alma mater

noun

al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmä-tər How to pronounce alma mater (audio)
1
: a school, college, or university which one has attended or from which one has graduated
went to a class reunion at his alma mater
2
: the song or hymn of a school, college, or university
"Hey, Harvard boy, sing your alma mater!" shouted an obnoxious producer.—Phil Kloer

Examples of alma mater in a Sentence

I visited my old alma mater last week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a result, the pope’s attendance at a basketball game, even a season opener featuring his alma mater, seems unlikely — especially considering his health condition. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 Still chasing fame and struggling to land her big break, Trina returns to her alma mater as an unqualified substitute teacher. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 19 Oct. 2026 On Friday, their son, Beong-Soo Kim, stood before an Alumni Park crowd and was formally installed as the 13th president of their alma mater. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Glover will also work full-time at his alma mater, the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alma mater

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fostering mother

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alma mater was in 1650

Rhymes for alma mater

See All Rhymes for alma mater

Browse Nearby Words

almain rivets
alma mater
alman
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Cite this Entry

“Alma mater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alma%20mater. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

alma mater

noun
al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmät-ər How to pronounce alma mater (audio)
: a school, college, or university that one has attended
Etymology

Latin, literally "fostering mother," from almus "nourishing" (from alire "to nourish") and mater "mother" — related to alimentary, maternal

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