alum
An alum is a person who has graduated from a school or university.
When people talk about an alum, they usually mean someone who has finished their studies and is now a part of a group of graduates from that specific place. For example, if you hear "The alum association is planning a reunion," it means that the group of people who went to the same college are getting together to catch up. Alums often stay connected with their school through events like this, or by joining groups for alumni. Some schools also give special recognition or awards to notable alums who have made a big impact in their field.
How common is "alum"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
An astringent salt, usually occurring in the form of pale crystals, much used in the dyeing and tanning trade and in certain medicines, and now understood to be a double sulphate of potassium and aluminium (K₂SO₄·Al₂(SO₄)₃·24H₂O).
Real examples of "alum" in context
