matron
pronunciation
How to pronounce matron in British English:
UK [ˈmeɪtrən]
How to pronounce matron in American English:
US [ˈmetrən]
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- Noun:
- a married woman (usually middle-aged with children) who is staid and dignified
- a wardress in a prison
- a woman in charge of nursing in a medical institution
Word Origin
- matron (n.)
- late 14c., "married woman" (usually one of rank), from Old French matrone "married woman; elderly lady; patroness; midwife," and directly from Latin matrona "married woman, wife, matron," from mater (genitive matris) "mother" (see mother (n.1)). Sense of "female manager of a school, hospital, etc." first recorded 1550s.
Example
- 1. I found the matron and asked her how my mother was .
- 2. Barbara stanton has the perfectly manicured and coiffed look of the suburban matron .
- 3. Janet hackin , a matron in the a & e ward , says that patients do appear calmer , " rather than running around anxious and bleeding all over the place " .
- 4. No. because the girls were not allowed to wipe their bottoms until matron had conducted a stool inspection .
- 5. Were the ballad sung by a post-menopausal matron , though , the person at the other end of the line would probably be her daughter-and the conversation would revolve around grandchildren .