An alumnus (pl. alumni) according to the American Heritage Dictionary is "a male graduate or former student of a school, college, or university." [http://www.bartleby.com/61/57/A0235700.html alumnus. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ] In addition, an alumna (pl. alumnae) is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college, or university." [http://www.bartleby.com/61/56/A0235600.html alumna. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ]
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An alumnus (pl. alumni) according to the American Heritage Dictionary is "a male graduate or former student of a school, college, or university." [http://www.bartleby.com/61/57/A0235700.html alumnus. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ] In addition, an alumna (pl. alumnae) is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college, or university." [http://www.bartleby.com/61/56/A0235600.html alumna. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ]
Origin
The English word "alumnus" comes from the Latin noun "alumnus" meaning "nursling" or "ward" , in allusion to the metaphorical relationship of the student to Alma mater - the romantic female embodiment of each educational institution. It has come to mean, within common American English usage, a graduate of a seat of learning. "Alumna" is a feminine form of "alumnus" that has entered common English usage.
Usage
As indicated in the American Heritage Dictionary, an alumnus or alumna is either someone who has attended the school (or a "former student of a school") or someone who has graduated from the school.[http://www.bartleby.com/61/57/A0235700.html alumnus. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ][http://www.bartleby.com/61/56/A0235600.html alumna. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ] Furthermore, according to dictionary.reference.com and the United States Department of Education, the term alumnae is used in conjunction with either women's colleges or a female group of students. The term alumni is used in conjunction with either men's colleges, a male group of students, or a mixed group of students:
- Traditionally, the masculine plural alumni has been used for groups composed of both sexes and is still widely so used: the alumni of The University of Texas. Sometimes, to avoid any suggestion of sexism, both terms are used for mixed groups: "the alumni/alumnae of The University of Texas" or the "alumni and alumnae of The University of Texas" coeducational institutions usually use alumni for graduates of both sexes. Some may prefer the phrase "alumni and alumnae" or the form "alumnae/i", which is the choice of many women's colleges that have begun to admit men.
The term is sometimes shortened to alum which stands for "an alumna or alumnus.""alum." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. 1 December 2006.
