matron

Meaning

1. A mature or elderly woman.
2. A wife or a widow, especially, one who has borne children.
3. A woman of staid or motherly manners.
4. A housekeeper, especially, a woman who manages the domestic economy of a public institution.
5. A senior female nurse in an establishment, especially a hospital or school.
6. A female prison officer.

Synonyms

lady

mistress

dame

housekeeper

woman

👩

wife

👰‍♀️

dowager

superintendant

widow

head nurse

mistress of a house

linen-keeper

venerable lady

linen keeper

hostess

housemaster

housemother

landlady

madam

mother

👩‍🍼

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmeɪtɹən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: matrone

In summary

From Middle English matrone, from Old French matrone, from Latin mātrōna (“married woman”), from māter (“mother”). Doublet of matrona.