alumnus
uh-LUM-nus
/əˈlʌmnəs/
A male graduate or former active member of a school, university, fraternity, or society.
Technically refers to a single male graduate (plural: alumni). An individual female graduate is an alumna (plural: alumnae).
The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, an 'alumnus' was a foster child who was 'nourished' or educated by a guardian. Universities adopted the word in the 17th century to signify that the institution had spiritually and intellectually nourished the graduate.
Word relationships
- graduate: Graduate is an everyday gender-neutral term, while alumnus is a Latinate term often used in university contexts.
- undergraduate: An undergraduate is a university student who has not yet earned a degree.
Commonly confused with
- Alumna: Alumnus refers specifically to a single male former student, whereas alumna refers to a single female former student.
Word family
- alumni (noun (plural)): Male or mixed-gender former students.
- alumna (noun): A female graduate or former member.
Collocations
- distinguished alumnus
- alumnus network
- alumnus donor
- fraternity alumnus
Example sentences
- "An active alumnus returned to campus every fall to serve as an advisor for the undergraduate fraternity officers." Greek life advising
- "The prominent alumnus made a generous donation to finance the construction of the new student center." University relations
Memory hook
An ALUMNUS was ALWAYs nourished by his alma mater. Graduate or former member
When not to use
Do not use 'alumnus' to refer to a female graduate or a group of mixed-gender graduates.
Fun facts
- In Latin, 'alumnus' literally translates to 'foster child' or 'nourished one'.
Related words
Explore more words
Alumni, alma mater, homecoming, coeducation, emeritus, single-sex
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