Alumni are the former students or graduates of a school, college, or university. The term can also refer to former employees, members of an organization, contributors, or inmates. The word "alumni" comes from the Latin word Alere, which means "to nourish". The singular form of the word is "alumnus" for males and "alumna" for females. The plural of "alumnus" is "alumni". The term "alumni" is not synonymous with "graduates". It's possible to be an alumnus without graduating from a school. For example, Burt Reynolds was an alumnus of Florida State University, but he didn't graduate.