matron

[ mey-truhn ]

noun

1. a married woman, especially one who is mature and staid or dignified and has an established social position.
2. a woman who has charge of the domestic affairs of a hospital, prison, or other institution.
3. a woman serving as a guard, warden, or attendant for women or girls, as in a prison.

matron

/ ˈmeɪtrən /

noun

1. a married woman regarded as staid or dignified, esp a middle-aged woman with children
2. a woman in charge of the domestic or medical arrangements in an institution, such as a boarding school
3. a wardress in a prison
4. the former name for the administrative head of the nursing staff in a hospital Official namenursing officer

Derived Forms

• ˈmatron-ˌlike, adjective
• ˈmatronˌhood, noun
• ˈmatronal, adjective

Other Words From

• ma·tron·al [mey, -tr, uh, -nl, ma, -], adjective
• matron·hood matron·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of matron¹

1350–1400; Middle English matrone < Latin mātrōna a married woman, wife, derivative of māter mother

Word History and Origins

Origin of matron¹

C14: via Old French from Latin mātrōna, from māter mother

Example Sentences

“Staff didn’t have time to process or accept the losses,” the lead ICU matron at one large teaching hospital told Prof Fong.

From BBC

It was the paediatric matron in Bridgend who spotted the lie about her qualification date, while checking her registration code which all nurses, midwives and nurse associates must have to work in the UK.

From BBC

Loose, lurid reports claimed that Bara furnished the house with props befitting her roles, skulls, crystal balls and the like, but a Times story shows her demurely dressed and posing like a house-proud young matron in her new home.

From Los Angeles Times

Four months after she started work, the unit's matron became suspicious after a check on Nasir's nursing registration code showed she had qualified four years later than she stated on her application form.

From BBC

In January 2020 a paediatric matron noticed a problem with her Nursing and Midwifery Council number.

From BBC

Related Words

• dowager
• housekeeper
• matriarch