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 notesIn plain EnglishA rare historical word for a professional Egyptian entertainer-singer; today it survives mainly as a given name.
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Word forms
- Plural
- almas, awalim
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".
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.
Is "alma" related to "alma mater"?
No, despite the similar spelling, "alma" as a historical term for a professional Egyptian singer or dancer is unrelated to the Latin phrase "alma mater," meaning "nourishing mother," used for one's school or university. The two share no common origin or meaning.
Is "alma" a word still used in modern English?
"Alma" in this sense is a historical term, rarely encountered outside older texts describing Egyptian entertainment traditions. It is not part of everyday modern vocabulary.
Is "alma" capitalized when used in English text?
As a common noun describing a type of performer, "alma" is typically written in lowercase, unlike "Alma" used as a personal name, which is always capitalized. Context makes clear which sense is intended.
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