Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

alma mater

/ˌælmə ˈmeɪtə(ɹ)/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.21 in modern English

Syllables: al-ma -mater
IPA: /ˌælmə ˈmeɪtə(ɹ)/

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A school, college, or university which a person has graduated from or attended.

noun

A school’s anthem or song.

Example Sentences

"I’m in the place where I grew up, where my alma mater is."
"However, a new analysis from Trump’s alma mater suggests that his immigration crackdown – a centerpiece of his second term – could do the exact opposite."

Etymology

From Latin alma māter (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.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: *h₂el- (grow), alma māter

Inflected Forms

almae matres (plural) alma maters (plural)

Derived Forms

matriotism

Frequently Paired Words

alimentary alimony alumnus mater maternal maternity matriculate

Questions

How do you pronounce alma mater?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌælmə ˈmeɪtə(ɹ)/.
What does alma mater mean?: A school, college, or university which a person has graduated from or attended.
Where does alma mater come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce alma mater

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “alma mater”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌælmə ˈmeɪtə(ɹ)/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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