Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for groups of women. The word is Latin and means "one who is being (or has been) nourished". The term is not synonymous with "graduate"; one can be an alumnus without graduating (Burt Reynolds, alumnus but not graduate of Florida State University, is an example). The term is sometimes used to refer to a former employee or member of an organization, contributor, or inmate.[1][2][3]
The Latinnounalumnus means "foster son" or "pupil" and is derived from the verbalere "to nourish". B Pictured: Lorado Taft's Alma Mater in Urbana, Illinois.
The Latinnounalumnus means "foster son" or "pupil". It is derived from PIE*h₂el- (grow, nourish), and it is a variant of the Latin verbalere "to nourish".[4] Separate, but from the same root, is the adjectivealmus "nourishing", found in the phrase Alma Mater, a title for a person's home university.
In Latin, alumnus is a legal term (Roman law) to describe a child placed in fosterage.[5] According to John Boswell, the word "is nowhere defined in relation to status, privilege, or obligation."[6] Citing the research of Henri Leclercq, Teresa Nani, and Beryl Rawson, who studied the many inscriptions about alumni, Boswell concluded that it referred to exposed children who were taken into a household where they were "regarded as somewhere between an heir and a slave, partaking in different ways of both categories." Despite the warmth of feelings between the parent and child, "an alumnus might be treated both as a beloved child and as a household servant."[7]
An alumnus or alumna is a former student and most often a graduate of an educational institution (school, college, university).[10] According to the United States Department of Education, the term alumnae is used in conjunction with either women's colleges[11] 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:
In accordance with the rules of grammar governing the inflexion of nouns in the Romance languages, the masculine plural alumni is correctly used for groups composed of both sexes: the alumni of Princeton University.[12]
The term is sometimes informally shortened to "alum" (optional plural "alums").[13]
Alumni reunions are popular events at many institutions. They are usually organized by alumni associations and are often social occasions for fundraising.
^"The State Of Corporate Alumni : 2017 Survey Results". EnterpriseAlumni - Large Organization Alumni & Retiree Management. 2017-10-02. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
^"Alumni – Definition from the Free Merriam Webster Dictionary". Merriam-webster.com. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2011-02-15. 1: A person who has attended or has graduated from a particular school, college, or university. 2: a person who is a former member, employee, contributor, or inmate
^"Alumnus – definition of alumnus by Macmillan dictionary". Macmillandictionary.com. Retrieved 2011-02-15. Someone who was a student at a particular school, college, or university
^"old boy - noun". www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
Bibliography
Boswell, John (1988). The Kindness of Strangers:The Abandonment of Children in Western Europe from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance. New York: Pantheon. ISBN9780226067124.
External links
The dictionary definition of alumni at Wiktionary
February 03, 2023
alumni, argentine, football, team, athletic, club, argentine, rugby, union, team, asociación, south, korean, film, film, singular, alumnus, masculine, alumna, feminine, former, students, school, college, university, have, either, attended, graduated, some, fas. For the Argentine football team see Alumni Athletic Club For the Argentine rugby union team see Asociacion Alumni For the South Korean film see Alumni film Alumni singular alumnus masculine or alumna feminine are former students of a school college or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for groups of women The word is Latin and means one who is being or has been nourished The term is not synonymous with graduate one can be an alumnus without graduating Burt Reynolds alumnus but not graduate of Florida State University is an example The term is sometimes used to refer to a former employee or member of an organization contributor or inmate 1 2 3 The Latin noun alumnus means foster son or pupil and is derived from the verb alere to nourish B Pictured Lorado Taft s Alma Mater in Urbana Illinois Contents 1 Etymology 2 Usage 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksEtymology EditThe Latin noun alumnus means foster son or pupil It is derived from PIE h el grow nourish and it is a variant of the Latin verb alere to nourish 4 Separate but from the same root is the adjective almus nourishing found in the phrase Alma Mater a title for a person s home university In Latin alumnus is a legal term Roman law to describe a child placed in fosterage 5 According to John Boswell the word is nowhere defined in relation to status privilege or obligation 6 Citing the research of Henri Leclercq Teresa Nani and Beryl Rawson who studied the many inscriptions about alumni Boswell concluded that it referred to exposed children who were taken into a household where they were regarded as somewhere between an heir and a slave partaking in different ways of both categories Despite the warmth of feelings between the parent and child an alumnus might be treated both as a beloved child and as a household servant 7 Pronunciation 8 9 alumnus alumna alumni alumnaeEnglish e ˈ l ʌ m n e s e LUM nes e ˈ l ʌ m n e ne e ˈ l ʌ m n aɪ nye e ˈ l ʌ m n iː nee also US n aɪ nyeLatin Classical aˈlʊmnʊs aˈlʊmna aˈlʊmniː aˈlʊmnae Latin Ecclesiastical aˈlumnus aˈlumna aˈlumni aˈlumne Usage EditAn alumnus or alumna is a former student and most often a graduate of an educational institution school college university 10 According to the United States Department of Education the term alumnae is used in conjunction with either women s colleges 11 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 In accordance with the rules of grammar governing the inflexion of nouns in the Romance languages the masculine plural alumni is correctly used for groups composed of both sexes the alumni of Princeton University 12 The term is sometimes informally shortened to alum optional plural alums 13 Alumni reunions are popular events at many institutions They are usually organized by alumni associations and are often social occasions for fundraising In British English the terms Old Boys Old Girls or Seniors are often preferred 14 See also EditCategory Alumni by educational institutionReferences Edit The State Of Corporate Alumni 2017 Survey Results EnterpriseAlumni Large Organization Alumni amp Retiree Management 2017 10 02 Retrieved 2018 10 29 Alumni Definition from the Free Merriam Webster Dictionary Merriam webster com 2010 08 13 Retrieved 2011 02 15 1 A person who has attended or has graduated from a particular school college or university 2 a person who is a former member employee contributor or inmate Alumnus definition of alumnus by Macmillan dictionary Macmillandictionary com Retrieved 2011 02 15 Someone who was a student at a particular school college or university Merriam Webster alumnus For example Digest 40 2 14 Boswell 1988 pp 116 Boswell 1988 pp 117 119 Collins English Dictionary 13th ed HarperCollins 2018 ISBN 0 008 28437 7 alumna Merriam Webster Dictionary Retrieved 2022 05 15 The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language Archived Women s Colleges in the United States History Issues and Challenges Ed gov Archived from the original on 2006 08 15 Retrieved 2011 02 15 alumni Definitions from Dictionary com Dictionary reference com Retrieved 2011 02 15 alum Dictionary com Unabridged v 1 0 1 Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary c Random House Inc 2006 1 December 2006 Dictionary com http dictionary reference com browse alum old boy noun www oxfordlearnersdictionaries com Oxford University Press Retrieved 9 January 2023 Bibliography EditBoswell John 1988 The Kindness of Strangers The Abandonment of Children in Western Europe from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance New York Pantheon ISBN 9780226067124 External links Edit The dictionary definition of alumni at Wiktionary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alumni amp oldid 1134461755, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
