Standard Lemma guide

matronly

adj · adv · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈmeɪtɹənli/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M EY1 T R AH0 N L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In the capacity of a matron; serving as a housekeeper or head nurse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Exuding the authority, wisdom, power, and intelligence of an experienced woman.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • c. 1977, Janeane Garofalo, a skit the matronly upper arms girls know about life and love and losing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Having the appearance of a mature woman, often of larger physical stature and somewhat unkempt or dowdy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 27 April 2009, LA Times https://web.archive.org/web/20090427074230/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2009/04/susan-boyle-gets-a-makeover-is-she-going-hollywood-already.html Gone is her matronly gray frizzy hair and those bushy brows, frumpy frock and old lady pearls.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

In the manner of a matron.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

befitting or characteristic of a fully mature woman

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • her matronly figure

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English matron Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-West Germanic *-līk Old English -līċ Middle English -ly English -ly English matronly From matron + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: äidillinen — in the capacity of a matron
  • German: matronenhaft — in the capacity of a matron
  • Spanish: matronal — in the capacity of a matron
  • Finnish: äidillinen — exuding authority, wisdom, power, and intelligence of an experienced woman
  • Finnish: tätimäinen — having the appearance of a mature woman
  • Finnish: äidillisesti — in the manner of a matron
  • Spanish: matronalmente — in the manner of a matron