Definition

1. Noun (plural form; singular: for a male or gender-neutral, for a female):
   • Former students or graduates: "alumni" refers to individuals who have attended or graduated from a particular school, college, or university.
   • Former members: It can also refer to people who were formerly part of an organization, such as a club, society, or sports team.

Usage Examples

• (All former students and graduates were invited.)
• (Former members of the club continue their involvement.)
• (She is a female graduate; her brother is a male graduate.)

Advanced Usage

• "Alumni association": an organization formed by former students of a school or university to maintain connections and support the institution.
  • The alumni association raised funds for a new library. (The group of former students collected money.)
• "Alumni network": the system of connections among former students that can provide professional or social benefits.
  • He used the alumni network to find a job in finance. (He leveraged connections with former students.)

Variants and Related Words

• Alumnus (n, singular, masculine or gender-neutral): a single former student or graduate.
  • He is an alumnus of Oxford University. (He is a male graduate.)
• Alumna (n, singular, feminine): a single female former student or graduate.
  • She is an alumna of the music conservatory. (She is a female graduate.)
• Alma mater (n): the school, college, or university from which one has graduated.
  • His alma mater is the University of Michigan. (The institution he graduated from.)

Synonyms

• Graduates: individuals who have completed a course of study and received a degree.
• Former students: people who previously attended an institution, whether or not they graduated.

Related Idioms

• "Alumni in good standing": former members who remain positively connected to the institution.
  • Only alumni in good standing can vote in the election. (Those who maintain positive ties.)
• "Alumni reunion": a gathering of former students, often held years after graduation.
  • The alumni reunion brought together graduates from the class of 1990. (A meeting of former classmates.)