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noun Uncommon

alma

AL-muh

Alma (noun) means a historical term for a professional Egyptian singer or dancer hired for entertainment. Example: “Travelers in the 19th century wrote about watching an alma perform at local celebrations.”

noun
1
A historical term for a professional Egyptian singer or dancer hired for entertainment.
"Travelers in the 19th century wrote about watching an alma perform at local celebrations."

How to Use Alma

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA rare historical word for a professional Egyptian entertainer-singer; today it survives mainly as a given name.

Word Forms

almas plural, alma plural, awalim plural

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Travelers in the 19th century wrote about watching an _____ perform at local celebrations.

Etymology

From Arabic ʕālima, literally "learned woman", from ʕalima, "to know".

Origin: Arabic

Rhymes for alma

See all rhymes for alma →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “alma” mean?

The word “alma” means a historical term for a professional Egyptian singer or dancer hired for entertainment. In plain terms, a rare historical word for a professional Egyptian entertainer-singer; today it survives mainly as a given name.

How do you pronounce “alma”?

“Alma” is pronounced AL-muh (/ˈæl.mə/ in IPA).

How do you use “alma” in a sentence?

Here is “alma” used in a sentence: “Travelers in the 19th century wrote about watching an alma perform at local celebrations.”

What part of speech is “alma”?

“Alma” is a noun.

Where does the word “alma” come from?

The word “alma” comes from Arabic. From Arabic ʕālima, literally "learned woman", from ʕalima, "to know".

Is “alma” a common word?

“Alma” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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