Alumni (SG: alumnus (MASC) or alumna (FEM)) are former students or graduates of a school, college, or university. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for groups of women, and alums (SG: alum) as a gender-neutral alternative. The word comes from Latin, meaning nurslings, pupils or foster children, derived from alere "to nourish".[1]
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 term is not synonymous with "graduates": people can be alumni without graduating (Burt Reynolds, alumnus but not graduate of Florida State University, is an example). The term is sometimes used to refer to former employees, former members of an organization, former contributors, or former inmates.[2][3][4]
The Latinnounalumnus means "foster son" or "pupil". It is derived from the Latin verbalere "to nourish".[5] Separate, but from the same root, is the adjectivealmus "nourishing", found in the phrase alma mater, a title for a person's home university.[6]
In Latin, alumnus is a legal term (Roman law) to describe a child placed in fosterage.[9] According to John Boswell, the word "is nowhere defined in relation to status, privilege, or obligation."[10] 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."[11]
Usageedit
An alumnus or alumna is a former student or a graduate of an educational institution (school, college, university).[12] According to the United States Department of Education, the term alumnae is used in conjunction with either women's colleges[13] 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.[14]
The term is sometimes informally shortened to "alum" (optional plural "alums").[15] This is increasingly being used more formally as a gender-neutral alternative.[5]
Many universities have alumni offices that coordinate fundraising and offer benefits to registered alumni. Alumni reunions are popular events at many institutions. These may be organized by alumni offices or by alumni associations, and are often social occasions for fundraising. Full membership of alumni associations is sometimes limited just to graduates rather than all alumni, e.g. at Harvard University.[16] Universities with validation agreements may limit some alumni benefits to graduates who studied at that university rather than at validated institutions.[17]
In British English, the terms "old boy" or "old girl" are often preferred for a former pupil of a primary or secondary school, while universities refer to their former students as alumni.[18][19]
Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900
^"Alumnus". Collins dictionary. Retrieved 4 December 2023. C17: from Latin: nursling, pupil, foster son, from alere to nourish
^"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
^"About the Harvard Alumni Association". Harvard Alumni Association. Retrieved 17 August 2023. Members of the HAA include recipients of all degrees granted by the University and Radcliffe College, as well as the members of all University faculties. Others whose names appear on the alumni records of the University, but who have not received degrees, are associate members and program participants. They may attend meetings and take part in any activities of the HAA but may not vote for Overseers of the University or directors of the HAA.
^"old boy - noun". www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
^"old girl - noun". www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
^"Alumni benefits extended to thousands of former researchers". University of Cambridge. 10 June 2015.
^"Alumni". UCSF Office for Postdoctoral Scholars. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
^"Leaving Yale". Yale University Office for Postdoctoral Affairs. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
^Hazel Sive; Claude Canizares; Maria Zuber (November 2013). "The Status of MIT's Postdoctoral Researchers". MIT Faculty Newsletter. Vol. XXVI, no. 2.
Bibliographyedit
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 linksedit
The dictionary definition of alumni at Wiktionary
February 16, 2024
alumni, film, film, argentine, football, team, athletic, club, argentine, rugby, union, team, asociación, alumnus, masc, alumna, former, students, graduates, school, college, university, feminine, plural, alumnae, sometimes, used, groups, women, alums, alum, g. For the film see Alumni film For the Argentine football team see Alumni Athletic Club For the Argentine rugby union team see Asociacion Alumni Alumni SG alumnus MASC or alumna FEM are former students or graduates of a school college or university The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for groups of women and alums SG alum as a gender neutral alternative The word comes from Latin meaning nurslings pupils or foster children derived from alere to nourish 1 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 The term is not synonymous with graduates people can be alumni without graduating Burt Reynolds alumnus but not graduate of Florida State University is an example The term is sometimes used to refer to former employees former members of an organization former contributors or former inmates 2 3 4 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Usage in Roman law 3 Usage 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksEtymology editThe Latin noun alumnus means foster son or pupil It is derived from the Latin verb alere to nourish 5 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 6 Pronunciation 7 8 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 in Roman law editIn Latin alumnus is a legal term Roman law to describe a child placed in fosterage 9 According to John Boswell the word is nowhere defined in relation to status privilege or obligation 10 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 11 Usage editAn alumnus or alumna is a former student or a graduate of an educational institution school college university 12 According to the United States Department of Education the term alumnae is used in conjunction with either women s colleges 13 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 14 The term is sometimes informally shortened to alum optional plural alums 15 This is increasingly being used more formally as a gender neutral alternative 5 Many universities have alumni offices that coordinate fundraising and offer benefits to registered alumni Alumni reunions are popular events at many institutions These may be organized by alumni offices or by alumni associations and are often social occasions for fundraising Full membership of alumni associations is sometimes limited just to graduates rather than all alumni e g at Harvard University 16 Universities with validation agreements may limit some alumni benefits to graduates who studied at that university rather than at validated institutions 17 In British English the terms old boy or old girl are often preferred for a former pupil of a primary or secondary school while universities refer to their former students as alumni 18 19 Some universities including the University of Cambridge the University of California San Francisco and Yale University include former postdoctoral researchers as alumni in recognition of the trainee status of such positions 20 21 22 Others such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology consider them associate alumni without full access to alumni benefits 23 See also editCategory Alumni by educational institution Alumni Cantabrigienses A Biographical List of All Known Students Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge from the Earliest Times to 1900 Alumni Oxonienses The Members of the University of OxfordReferences edit Alumnus Collins dictionary Retrieved 4 December 2023 C17 from Latin nursling pupil foster son from alere to nourish 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 a b alumnus Merriam Webster com Dictionary Retrieved 5 December 2023 John Ayto 1 January 2009 Word Origins A amp C Black p 41 ISBN 9781408101605 Collins English Dictionary 13th ed HarperCollins 2018 ISBN 978 0 008 28437 4 alumna Merriam Webster com Dictionary Retrieved 2022 05 15 For example Digest 40 2 14 Boswell 1988 pp 116 Boswell 1988 pp 117 119 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 About the Harvard Alumni Association Harvard Alumni Association Retrieved 17 August 2023 Members of the HAA include recipients of all degrees granted by the University and Radcliffe College as well as the members of all University faculties Others whose names appear on the alumni records of the University but who have not received degrees are associate members and program participants They may attend meetings and take part in any activities of the HAA but may not vote for Overseers of the University or directors of the HAA Alumni Fee Scholarship 2024 25 Durham University Eligibility Retrieved 5 December 2023 old boy noun www oxfordlearnersdictionaries com Oxford University Press Retrieved 9 January 2023 old girl noun www oxfordlearnersdictionaries com Oxford University Press Retrieved 16 August 2023 Alumni benefits extended to thousands of former researchers University of Cambridge 10 June 2015 Alumni UCSF Office for Postdoctoral Scholars Retrieved 16 August 2023 Leaving Yale Yale University Office for Postdoctoral Affairs Retrieved 16 August 2023 Hazel Sive Claude Canizares Maria Zuber November 2013 The Status of MIT s Postdoctoral Researchers MIT Faculty Newsletter Vol XXVI no 2 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 nbsp The dictionary definition of alumni at Wiktionary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alumni amp oldid 1191899705, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
