The matron in a nursing home is the woman who is in charge of all the nurses. In the past, the woman in charge of the nurses in a hospital was also called a matron.
[British]
The Matron at the nursing home expressed a wish to attend.
Have you told Matron?
2. title noun & countable noun
In boarding schools, the matron is the woman who looks after the health of the children.
[British]
Matron was quite kind but brisk and hurried.
...a prep school matron.
3. countable noun
The matron in a hospital or other institution is the woman who is in charge of domestic matters. Matron is also used to refer to a female officer in a prison.
[US, old-fashioned]
4. countable noun
People sometimes refer to middle-aged women as matrons.
[old-fashioned, or written]
matron in British English
(ˈmeɪtrən)
noun
1.
a married woman regarded as staid or dignified, esp a middle-aged woman with children
2.
a woman in charge of the domestic or medical arrangements in an institution, such as a boarding school
3. US
a wardress in a prison
4. British
the former name for the administrative head of the nursing staff in a hospital
Official name: nursing officer
Derived forms
matronal (ˈmatronal)
adjective
matronhood (ˈmatronˌhood) or matronship (ˈmatronˌship)
noun
matron-like (ˈmatron-ˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C14: via Old French from Latin mātrōna, from māter mother
matron in American English
(ˈmeitrən)
noun
1.
a married woman, esp. one who is mature and staid or dignified and has an established social position
2.
a woman who has charge of the domestic affairs of a hospital, prison, or other institution
3.
a woman serving as a guard, warden, or attendant for women or girls, as in a prison
Derived forms
matronal (ˈmeitrənl, ˈmæ-)
adjective
matronhoodmatronship
noun
Word origin
[1350–1400; ME matrone ‹ L mātrōna a married woman, wife, deriv. of māter mother]
Examples of 'matron' in a sentence
matron
The horse cost 35,000 and ten families chipped in, plus a former matron and a couple of tutors.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The former school matron had been placed on a controversial care plan intended to ease the last days of dying patients.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It is obvious who is the matron in charge, and who are the nurses.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
A way around it is to ask her to be your chief bridesmaid or matron of honour.
The Sun (2011)
I approach the matron in charge, sitting at the reception desk.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I feel like telling her that she's not going to be the matron of honour any more.
The Sun (2010)
During my time as school matron I did a vast amount of reading on ways to improve the quality of life.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)
He went absent without leave not once, but three times; a serious offence that made him an enemy of the hospital matron.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Word lists with
matron
Medical practitioners and specialists
Chinese translation of 'matron'
matron
(ˈmeɪtrən) (Brit)
n(c)
(in nursing home, hospital) 护(護)士长(長) (hùshizhǎng) (名, míng)