Alumni, Alumnus, Alumna, Alumnae: The Full Set
Alumni are former students. The Latin endings mark both number and gender, which is why the word has four forms.
Alumni are the former students of a school or university. Latin marks gender and number in the ending, so English inherited four forms: one man is an *alumnus*, one woman an *alumna*, a group of women *alumnae*, and a mixed or male group *alumni*. Many institutions now simply write *alum* and *alums* to sidestep the whole system.
- Former students (plural). *University alumni.*
- Alumnus — one male former student. *A distinguished alumnus.*
- Alumna — one female former student. *A notable alumna.*
- Alum — informal, any former student. *An alum of the programme.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One man | alumnus | He is an alumnus. |
| One woman | alumna | She is an alumna. |
| Group of women | alumnae | The alumnae met. |
| Mixed group | alumni | Alumni donations. |
| Informal | alum / alums | A proud alum. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The alumni association raises funds.Plural, standard use.
- She is an alumna of the college.Strictly correct singular.
- He is an alum of the same programme.Informal and gender-neutral.
Latin plurals worth knowing
- alumnus → alumni
- fungus → fungi
- cactus → cacti (or cactuses)
- radius → radii
- nucleus → nuclei
From Latin *alumnus*, a foster son or pupil, from *alere*, to nourish — the same root as *aliment* and *coalesce*.
Can I just say *alum*?
Yes, in informal and increasingly in formal American use. It avoids the gendered endings entirely.
Alumni for one person?
Strictly no, it is plural. But alumnus and alumna are becoming rare, and many writers use alum instead.