mother, reflects a (mutual) relationship between the university as institution and the alumnus as beneficiary. It was mainly the Anglo-American area where the term alumni was established for both, male and [...] What does "Alumni" actually mean? The term alumnus is derived from Latin language and means as much as pupil or foster son. The masculine plural form is alumni, the corresponding feminine form alumna or [...] or alumnae as feminine plural form. The word stem origin alere / alo means feeding, raising, bringing up. The fact that the university is referred to as Alma mater, meaning something like feeding mother
https://www.uni-rostock.de/en/university/foundations-and-corporate-sponsors/alumni/