matronly

[ mey-truhn-lee ]
See synonyms for matronly on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a matron; maturely dignified; stately.

  2. characteristic of or suitable for a matron.

Origin of matronly

1
First recorded in 1650–60; matron + -ly

Other words from matronly

  • ma·tron·li·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use matronly in a sentence

  • The Madonna's face, her hair drawn smoothly over her temples, has a beautiful matronliness.

    The Madonna in Art | Estelle M. Hurll
  • It at once takes away her youthfulness and makes her matronly—and matronliness is fatal to romance.

    Woman | William J. Robinson
  • She had become so dully habituated to married life that in her full matronliness she was as sexless as an anemic nun.

    Babbitt | Sinclair Lewis

British Dictionary definitions for matronly

matronly

/ (ˈmeɪtrənlɪ) /


adjective
  1. of, characteristic of, or suitable for a matron; staid and dignified in a manner associated with a middle-aged, usually plump, woman

Derived forms of matronly

  • matronliness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012