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matronage

[mey-truh-nij, ma-]
noun
  1. the state of being a matron.
  2. guardianship by a matron.
  3. matrons collectively.

Origin of matronage

First recorded in 1765–75; matron + -age
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for matronage

matronage

noun
  1. the state of being a matron
  2. supervision or care by a matron
  3. matrons collectively
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012