matron
Meanings
noun
- A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.
- A woman with the character of a mother or matriarch.
- A woman in charge of the domestic arrangements of an establishment or institution, especially, the nursing officer or chief nurse of a hospital.
- A wife or a widow, especially, one who has borne children.
- A housekeeper, especially, a woman who manages the domestic economy of a public institution.
- A female prison officer.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From Middle English matrone, from Old French matrone, from Latin mātrōna (“married woman”), from māter (“mother”). Doublet of matrona.
Related words
Derived words
Translations
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