Definition: Alma mater

From New World Encyclopedia
(Redirected from Alma mater)

Etymology

From Latin alma mÄter (literally "nourishing mother"). Derives from the full name ("Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna") of the oldest European university, the University of Bologna, founded in 1088.

Noun

alma mater (plural almae matres or alma maters)

  1. A school, college, or university from which an individual has graduated or attended classes.
  2. A school's anthem or song.

Related terms

  • alimentary
  • alimony
  • alumnus
  • mater
  • maternal
  • maternity
  • matriculate

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors copied and adjusted this Wiktionary entry in accordance with NWE standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit for this article is due to both New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions at Wiktionary is accessible to researchers here: