ALMA MATER Meaning of ALMA MATER in English [ ˌalmə'mα:tə , 'meɪt- ]■ noun one's former university, school, or college.OriginC17 (in the sense 'a source of nourishment'): L., lit. 'generous mother'. Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004