Word on the Word Alumni

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Word on the word alumni.

According to a number of dictionaries, the word Alumni means a former student, or pupil, and comes from the Latin alere, to nourish a foster-son or pupil. Because Latin is such a structured language, we can define which gender each word refers to.

Make sure you always use the proper definition when writing, using as report headings and when using in other communications.

	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Singular	Alumnus	Alumna	Alumnum
Plural	Alumni	Alumnae	Alumna

We refer to Alumni as a group of Alumni, i.e. those who have attended an institution,
and as Alumnae when we know that we are referring to women.

‘Alumnus’ when there’s one of us, ‘Alumni’ when there’s more.
To pluralize I wonder why They subtract ‘us’ and add an ‘i’?
Seems perfectly ridiculous, Or is that ridiculi?
— anonymous.