Alma Mater

Latin adjectives and nouns have gender and take different forms according to their gender: masculine, feminine and neuter.

The adjective “alma” in alma mater means nourishing and is the feminine form of “almus” (masculine) and “almum” (neuter).  “Mater” means mother.  So, alma mater literally means nourishing mother.

If you’re a man and/or if you’re tired of calling your school your alma mater, you can call it “almus pater” (nourishing father).

To be more generic and friendlier to everyone, we can call our school our “almum animal” (nourishing living creature or animal).

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Originally sent as a text message to friends years ago.