alma mater

noun

al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmä-tər 

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

Carson Palmer, a Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback, is the new football coach at his alma mater, Santa Margarita High School. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024

Even Maryland alum and ESPN analyst Scott Van Pelt chimed in on X watching his alma mater route the Buckeyes. —Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 5 Dec. 2024

Leaving an annual salary of $7.3 million behind, Wojnarowski returned to his alma mater, St. Bonaventure, as the men's basketball's general manager. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024

She’s given back to her alma mater as a patron of the school’s graduating class of female students in 2017 and 2022, respectively. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fostering mother

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

alma mater

noun

al·​ma ma·​ter ˌal-mə-ˈmät-ər 

: 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