Did you know?
Alumnus or Alumna?
Many people are comfortable using the word alumni to refer to someone who was a student of a particular school. However, others feel quite strongly that this is an error and that the following forms should be used: alumnus (for one male), alumni (for multiple males, or for a mix of males and females), alumna (for one female), and alumnae (for multiple females). The shortened form alum and its plural form alums began to be used in the 19th century. Initially, alum was widely viewed as highly colloquial or informal, but is increasing in use as a gender-neutral alternative.
Examples of alumna in a Sentence
Martin Vassolo, Axios, 5 Aug. 2024
Berea College is taking steps to commemorate the legacy of one of its most prominent alumna through a new endowed scholarship fund.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 25 Sep. 2024
The Real Housewives of New York City alumna welcomed her first child, daughter Liberty Alexandria Williams, in August.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 24 Sep. 2024
Leslie Zane offers thoughtful additions to the discussion in The Power of Instinct: The New Rules of Persuasion in Business and Life.
Zane, an alumna of Yale, Harvard Business School, and Bain & Company, is an award-winning Fortune 500 brand consultant and behavioral expert.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for alumna 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alumna.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near alumna
Cite this Entry
“Alumna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alumna. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share