What does "matron" mean?
A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.
Matron
/ˈmeɪtɹən/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.
- Grammar: matron is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abbess, beldam, better half, biddies.
- Useful contrasts: damoiselle, dandyess, gamine.
- Usage evidence: A clever salesman will always ask a matron if her mother is at home.
How to use "matron"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "matron" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "matron" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "matron" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "matron" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "matron" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abbess" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "matron", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.
"grave from her cradle, insomuch that she was a matron before she was a mother"
- 2 a married woman (usually middle-aged with children) who is staid and dignified wordnet
- 3 A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.; A woman with the character of a mother or matriarch.
"But there’s no bottome, none / In my Voluptuouſneſſe : Your Wiues, your Daughters, / Your Matrons, and your Maides, could not fill vp / The Ceſterne of my Luſt, and my Deſire / All continent Impediments would ore-beare / That did oppoſe my will."
- 4 a woman in charge of nursing in a medical institution wordnet
- 5 A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.; A woman in charge of the domestic arrangements of an establishment or institution, especially, the nursing officer or chief nurse of a hospital.
"the matron of a school or hospital"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a wardress in a prison wordnet
- 7 A wife or a widow, especially, one who has borne children.
"Roman matrons, sexually exhausted, were fond of trout caught in a little stream in the Vosges Mountains."
- 8 A housekeeper, especially, a woman who manages the domestic economy of a public institution.
- 9 A female prison officer. US
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A clever salesman will always ask a matron if her mother is at home."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "matron"?
Common synonyms include: abbess, beldam, better half, biddies, chatelaine, common-law wife.
How do you use "matron" in a sentence?
A clever salesman will always ask a matron if her mother is at home.
How do you pronounce "matron"?
Pronounced /ˈmeɪtɹən/.
Etymology
From Middle English matrone, from Old French matrone, from Latin mātrōna (“married woman”), from māter (“mother”). Doublet of matrona.