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al·ma ma·ter or Al·ma Ma·ter

(ăl′mə mätər, äl′mə)

1. The school, college, or university that one has attended.

2. The anthem of an institution of higher learning.

[From Latin Alma Māter, nourishing mother (epithet of certain goddesses) : alma, feminine of almus, nourishing; see al-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + māter, mother; see MATERNAL.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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