alma
alma Lexical Profile
alma Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Canadian A city in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of central Quebec, Canada, situated along the Petite Décharge River.
American A city in Gratiot County in central Michigan, United States, located along the Pine River and known for its Scottish heritage festival.
An Egyptian woman trained as a professional singer, dancer, or reciter of poetry to entertain at feasts, weddings, and funerals.
"During the nineteenth century, European travelers in Cairo often wrote accounts of performances by an alma."
A heavy, double-twilled silk or wool fabric of dark color, formerly used primarily for mourning garments.
"The antique dress was tailored from black alma, a popular mourning fabric in the late nineteenth century."
• Rhymes for alma
Word Origin & Etymology
As a common noun referring to an Egyptian performer, 'alma' (also spelled 'almah') derives via French from Arabic 'ālima, meaning 'a learned woman'. The fabric sense originates from the Turkish word 'elma', meaning 'apple', likely in reference to the pattern or luster of the cloth.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.