__ mater (4)

I believe the answer is:

alma

(Other definitions for alma that I've seen before include "Battle of the -- was in the Crimean War" , "The . . . . Mater is the old school" , "Woman" , "One's university" , "Essence" .)

I've seen this clue in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, the USA Today, the Newsday, the LA Times, the Universal, the King Feature Syndicate, The Daily Mail and The Washington Post.

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