Alma Mater
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A collegian so calls the university of which he is a member. The words are Latin for "fostering mother," and in ancient Rome the title was given to several goddesses, especially Ceres and Cybele.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Alma Mater” mean?
A collegian so calls the university of which he is a member. The words are Latin for "fostering mother," and in ancient Rome the title was given to several goddesses, especially Ceres and Cybele.
Is “Alma Mater” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.