dictionary and thesaurus
Today's additions to the Glossary of Confusing Words are the words "faculty" and "alumni."
Olesya suggested them, saying she had come across them while preparing for the TOEFL, and asking:
What's the difference between these terms?
Good question! Here's the answer:
Faculty = The professors and instructors of a university
If you want to see an explanation of all the different types of faculty members, we covered that in a previous Glossary post.
Alumni = Students who have graduated from a university
If you're talking about one student, you would say they are an alumnus (for a male) or alumna (for a female).
Bonus: The school that an alumnus graduated from is called his alma mater.
Hope that explained it!
Do you have a word to contribute to our Glossary of Confusing Words? Share words that have confused you or that might confuse others about studying in the U.S. Leave your suggestions in the comments, or use the form below.