matronly

[mey-truhn-lee]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a matron; maturely dignified; stately.

2. characteristic of or suitable for a matron.

ˈmatronly

/ ˈmeɪtrənlɪ /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or suitable for a matron; staid and dignified in a manner associated with a middle-aged, usually plump, woman

Other Word Forms

• matronliness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ˈmatronly¹

First recorded in 1650–60; matron + -ly

Example Sentences

There was Lydia, a half-mad, matronly Portuguese divorcee with a teenage daughter.

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The sweet little shrug that the grown-up, matronly Dakota Johnson gives to Dismukes, as he gawks at her younger self strutting around the stage, makes the entire sketch worthwhile.

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Then he saw what the figure was wearing: a shapeless dress that stretched below her knees, a matronly oatmeal-colored shawl around her shoulders.

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Transforming the elegant British, non-Jewish actress into the matronly prime minister required prosthetics for the cheeks, chin, nose and neck, plus contact lenses and a wig.

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Her advice was easier to take, she determined, because it was offered by a “matronly woman” with a nonthreatening demeanor and a charming accent.

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