# alma

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈæl.mə/ · frequency rank #13,459

## Definitions
1. An Egyptian female singer or dancing girl employed for entertainment or as a professional mourner.

## Etymology
From colloquial Arabic عَالِمَة (ʕālima, “a singer”), originally a feminine adjective meaning learned, knowledgeable, from عَلِمَ (ʕalima, “to know”).

## Easily confused with
- **AM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-am)
- **arm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-arm)
- **Amy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-amy)
- **ana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-ana)
- **ATM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-atm)
- **alt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-alt)
- **amp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-amp)
- **AMD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-amd)
- **Ava** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-ava)
- **ama** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-ama)
- **ASA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-asa)
- **als** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-als)
- **apa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-apa)
- **AMI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-ami)
- **ara** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-ara)
- **alp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-alp)
- **ATA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-ata)
- **AmE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-ame)
- **AMR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-amr)
- **aya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alma-vs-aya)

## Common misspellings (4)
`alam`, `allma`, `almma`, `amla`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/alma