Alumnae

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈlʌmniː/

Definitions

1. A group of female graduates of a university or educational institution who share a common educational background
2. Individuals who have completed their studies and achieved a degree, specifically referring to women alumni of a school
3. Female former students of a particular educational establishment, often involved in various alumni activities and organizations

Etymology: "Alumnae" is the plural of "alumna," a Latin feminine noun. The Latin word comes from "alere," meaning "to nourish" or "to feed," so an alumna was, literally, someone who had been nourished or raised by an institution. The same root gives us "alimony" and "aliment," both tied to providing sustenance. English took "alumna" directly from Latin as a learned borrowing, keeping the feminine ending that marks it as a woman. The masculine form, "alumnus," followed the same pattern, and "alumnae" is simply the plural for a group of women. The plural form is what makes the word useful to schools and colleges that want to refer specifically to their former female students.

Synonyms: female graduates, female alumni