1
a
: a married woman usually marked by dignified maturity or social distinction (see distinction sense 4a)
b
: a woman who supervises women or children (as in a school or police station)
c
: the chief officer in a women's organization
2
: a female animal kept for breeding
Examples of matron in a Sentence
society matrons who organize benefits for charity
the matron of a school for girls
Recent Examples on the Web
Allison Williams, who plays Hawk’s wife, Lucy, is out of her depth as the gray-haired society matron who is finally forced to confront Tim’s indelible role in her husband’s life.
—
Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2023
The matron bounced from group to group, laughing, juggling trays and dishes and glasses.
—Bryan Washington, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2023
So too is the suburban matron whose life centers on her bridge games and her martinis.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 16 Aug. 2023
One of them happens to be a high-society matron whose daughter (Edna Purviance, again) gratefully takes him to the family mansion to recuperate.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 28 July 2023
The women were invasively body-searched by matrons who first dipped their gloved hands in Lysol.
—Penelope Green, BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2023
Several months after the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls opened in South Africa in 2007, a dormitory matron was charged with 13 counts of indecent assault and criminal injury against several students between the ages of 13 and 15, as well as a 23-year-old.
—Gabrielle Settles, USA TODAY, 19 July 2023
Possessed of few obvious talents and a bottomless sense of entitlement, this expensively upholstered figure was the archetype for the ordinary middle-class matron who blossomed into improbable, overwhelming, gasp-inducing fame.
—Ben Brantley, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2023
Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury British actress Adjoa Andoh portrays the vivacious Lady Danbury, a matron who essentially runs the ton's social affairs.
—Charlotte Walsh, Peoplemag, 3 May 2023
See More
Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2023
The matron bounced from group to group, laughing, juggling trays and dishes and glasses.
—Bryan Washington, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2023
So too is the suburban matron whose life centers on her bridge games and her martinis.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 16 Aug. 2023
One of them happens to be a high-society matron whose daughter (Edna Purviance, again) gratefully takes him to the family mansion to recuperate.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 28 July 2023
The women were invasively body-searched by matrons who first dipped their gloved hands in Lysol.
—Penelope Green, BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2023
Several months after the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls opened in South Africa in 2007, a dormitory matron was charged with 13 counts of indecent assault and criminal injury against several students between the ages of 13 and 15, as well as a 23-year-old.
—Gabrielle Settles, USA TODAY, 19 July 2023
Possessed of few obvious talents and a bottomless sense of entitlement, this expensively upholstered figure was the archetype for the ordinary middle-class matron who blossomed into improbable, overwhelming, gasp-inducing fame.
—Ben Brantley, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2023
Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury British actress Adjoa Andoh portrays the vivacious Lady Danbury, a matron who essentially runs the ton's social affairs.
—Charlotte Walsh, Peoplemag, 3 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'matron.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English matrone, from Anglo-French, from Latin matrona, from matr-, mater
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of matron was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing matron
Dictionary Entries Near matron
Cite this Entry
“Matron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matron. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
matron
noun
ma·tron
ˈmā-trən 
1
: a usually mature and dignified married woman
2
: a woman in charge of the household affairs of an institution
3
: a woman who supervises women prisoners in a police station or jail
Medical Definition
matron
noun
ma·tron
ˈmā-trən
British
: a woman superintendent of a medical institution (as a hospital)
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