Alma mater is a Latin phrase literally meaning "nourishing mother" (Latin). In ancient Roman religion the expression was applied to mother goddesses (ancient Rome), and during the Medieval period it became associated with the Virgin Mary in Christian contexts (Christianity).
Etymology and early history
The use of the phrase in relation to schools and learning dates back to medieval Europe. The earliest recorded application of alma mater to a university environment appears in 1088, and the University of Bologna later adopted the motto Alma Mater Studiorum (commonly rendered in English as "nourishing mother of studies").
Contemporary meaning and uses
In modern English, the term most commonly denotes the university or college that someone attended. It is also used to refer to an institution’s official song or hymn and, more broadly, to any school with which a person feels a lasting affiliation. In everyday conversation, people often say "my alma mater" to mean the place where they completed higher education (these days).
Common contexts
- As a formal name or motto for an educational institution.
- Informally, as the school from which someone graduated.
- To identify the anthem or ceremonial song associated with a college or university.