Alma Mater

[ˈalma ˈmaːtɐ]

/[ˈalma ˈmaːtɐ]/ noun

The verdict

“Alma Mater” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - nährende, sorgende Mutter

Key facts for Alma Mater
PropertyValue
HeadwordAlma Mater
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈalma ˈmaːtɐ]
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Alma Mater” sits in German frequency

Alma Mater falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Alma Mater is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈalma ˈmaːtɐ]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Alma Mater, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is Alma Mater, spelled A-L-M-A- -M-A-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    nährende, sorgende Mutter
  2. 2
    Hochschule, Universität

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Alma Mater"?
"Alma Mater" is spelled A-L-M-A- -M-A-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈalma ˈmaːtɐ].
What does "Alma Mater" mean?
As a noun, "Alma Mater" means: nährende, sorgende Mutter
How do you pronounce "Alma Mater"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Alma Mater" is [ˈalma ˈmaːtɐ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Alma Mater" come from?
"Alma Mater" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Alma Mater”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is A-L-M-A- -M-A-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈalma ˈmaːtɐ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list