The terms alumni and alumnus are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two words. An alumni is someone who attended a school or college, while an alumnus is a graduate of that school or college. So, if you’re an alumna, you’re a woman who attended school, while an alumnus is a man who graduated from school. pretty simple right? Let’s take a closer look at some examples.
What is Alumni?
Alumni refers to a group of former students who have graduated from a particular school, college, or university. An alumnus is an individual member of this group, while the plural form alumni can be used to refer to multiple members. The word alumni come from the Latin alumnus, which means “nurturing.” Alumni associations are often organized around graduation years, and they can be a great way for graduates to stay connected to their alma mater. In addition to providing social and networking opportunities, alumni associations can also offer career resources and support. Many colleges and universities also offer alumni discounts on tuition and other services.
What is an Alumnus?
- Alumnus is a Latin word meaning “student.” It is used to refer to a man who has attended or graduated from a school, college, or university. For example, an alumnus of Harvard University would be someone who either attended or graduated from Harvard. The plural form of alumnus is alumni. Alumni can be used to refer to both men and women.
- For example, an alumnus of Harvard University could be a woman who graduated from Harvard. Alumni can also be used as a collective noun to refer to a group of people, such as the alumni of Harvard University. When used in this way, it is usually followed by the word “association” or “club.” For example, the Alumni Association of Harvard University is an organization for alumni of Harvard University.
- Finally, alumni can also be used as an adjective to describe something that is related to a school, college, or university. For example, an alumnus magazine is a magazine for alumni of a particular school, college, or university.
Difference between Alumni and Alumnus
- Alumni and Alumnus both refer to a graduate of a school, college, or university. Alumni is the plural form of the word and can be used to refer to both men and women. Alumnus is the singular form of the word and is used to refer to a male graduate. The word Alumna is used to refer to a female graduate. In general, it is more common to use Alumni when referring to a group of graduates and Alumnus when referring only to one graduate. However, there are some exceptions.
- For example, if you are referring specifically to a male graduate, you would use Alumnus even if you are referring to more than one graduate. Similarly, if you are referring specifically to a female graduate, you would use Alumna even if you are referring to more than one graduate.
- The word Alumni can also be used as a noun to refer to all the graduates of a school, college, or university. This usage is more common in American English than in British English. For example, you might say that the alumni of your school are very successful.
Conclusion
Alumni is the plural form of alumnus, which is a term used to describe a male graduate of an educational institution. Alumni can also refer to female graduates or a group of graduates as well. The term alumnus is Latin for “foster son.” So, when you are addressing a group of male and female graduates together, it would be appropriate to use the term alumni. If you are only addressing a group of male graduates, then alumnus would be the correct word to use.
