1. Mother; a woman who has given birth to a child.
Usage: informal or humorous; chiefly British
2. A school or college that one has attended; alma mater.
Usage: formal; often used in the phrase 'alma mater'

Examples

• He always spoke fondly of his mater back home.
• The students sang the school song in honor of their mater.
• My mater taught me the importance of hard work.
• She returned to her mater for the alumni reunion.
• His mater was a teacher at the local school.