alma mater

[ahl-muh mah-ter, al-, al-muh mey-ter] / ˈɑl mə ˈmɑ tər, ˈæl-, ˈæl mə ˈmeɪ tər /

NOUN

school from which one has graduated

Synonyms

STRONGEST

academy

WEAK

college institution old school place of graduation place of matriculation university

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

To some donors, their love for their alma mater may outweigh any tax benefit.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

He often hires recent graduates of his alma mater to be his law clerks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

His name was floated for other jobs, too, including the coordinator position at his alma mater, Georgia Tech.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

Certainly West Point, Lincoln’s alma mater, wasn’t training such people.

From Slate • Feb. 9, 2026

She urges me to apply to colleges out of state—Smith College in Massachusetts, for one, her alma mater.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline