matron
[ mey-truhn ]
/ ˈmeɪ trən /
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noun
a married woman, especially one who is mature and staid or dignified and has an established social position.
a woman who has charge of the domestic affairs of a hospital, prison, or other institution.
a woman serving as a guard, warden, or attendant for women or girls, as in a prison.
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Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
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Origin of matron
1350–1400; Middle English matrone<Latin mātrōna a married woman, wife, derivative of māter mother
OTHER WORDS FROM matron
ma·tron·al [mey-truh-nl, ma-], /ˈmeɪ trə nl, ˈmæ-/, adjectivema·tron·hood, ma·tron·ship, nounWords nearby matron
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for matron
British Dictionary definitions for matron
matron
/ (ˈmeɪtrən) /
noun
a married woman regarded as staid or dignified, esp a middle-aged woman with children
a woman in charge of the domestic or medical arrangements in an institution, such as a boarding school
US a wardress in a prison
British the former name for the administrative head of the nursing staff in a hospitalOfficial name: nursing officer
Derived forms of matron
matronal, adjectivematronhood or matronship, nounmatron-like, adjectiveWord Origin for matron
C14: via Old French from Latin mātrōna, from māter mother
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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