An alma mater is the school, college, or university you attended. The term comes from Latin and literally means “nourishing mother,” reflecting the idea that your school feeds your mind and helps you grow.

People use this phrase with real affection and pride. When someone says “I'm visiting my alma mater this weekend,” they mean they're going back to see their old school. College graduates often stay connected to their alma mater for decades, attending reunions, cheering for sports teams, or helping current students find jobs.

You'll hear people talk about their alma mater when they want to mention where they went to school in a warm, personal way. A doctor might say her alma mater is Johns Hopkins University. A teacher might wear a sweatshirt with his alma mater's name on it. The word suggests a lasting bond: your school is a place that shaped who you became, and you continue to feel connected to it.

Even though the phrase originally applied to universities, people sometimes use it for high schools too, especially when talking about schools they attended long ago and remember fondly.