alma mater
AL-muh MAH-ter
/ˌæl.mə ˈmɑː.tər/
The school, college, or university that someone formerly attended; also, an official school song.
Conveys a feeling of affection, reverence, and lifelong emotional ties to one's school.
The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, 'alma mater' was a honorific title given to various goddess figures, particularly Ceres and Cybele. European scholars transferred this poetic phrase to universities in the Renaissance, viewing institutions as intellectual mothers providing spiritual and mental food.
Word relationships
- mother school: 'Mother school' is a direct translation but rarely used in formal English compared to 'alma mater'.
Commonly confused with
- alumni: 'Alma mater' is the institution itself, while 'alumni' are the people who attended it.
Collocations
- return to one's alma mater
- beloved alma mater
- sing the alma mater
Example sentences
- "She returned to her alma mater as a guest lecturer thirty years after her graduation." Speeches
Memory hook
ALMA MATER = ALL MY MATTER; it shaped everything that matters in my education. The nourishing mother school.
When not to use
Avoid using it to describe a school you currently attend or merely visited once.
Fun facts
- The world's oldest continuously operating university, the University of Bologna, adopts the motto 'Alma Mater Studiorum' (Nourishing Mother of Studies).
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