matronly

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English[edit]

WOTD – 11 December 2011

Etymology[edit]

From matron +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈmeɪtɹənli/
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Adjective[edit]

matronly (comparative more matronly, superlative most matronly)

  1. In the capacity of a matron; serving as a housekeeper or head nurse.
    The matronly woman cared for the sick orphan.
  2. Exuding the authority, wisdom, power, and intelligence of an experienced woman.
  3. Having the appearance of a mature woman, often of larger physical stature and somewhat unkempt or dowdy.
    • 27 April 2009, LA Times [1]
      Gone is her matronly gray frizzy hair and those bushy brows, frumpy frock and old lady pearls.

Translations[edit]

Adverb[edit]

matronly (comparative more matronly, superlative most matronly)

  1. In the manner of a matron.
    • 1906, Gertrude Stein, Three Lives, page 166:
      The mother dressed matronly, in a bonnet and in black, always sat between her two big daughters, firm, directing, and repressed.
    • 2004, Irene Kai, The golden mountain: beyond the American dream, →ISBN, page 214:
      She was the same height and weight as Mother and had the same hairdo and dressed matronly like her. It was scary. She looked so much like Mother.
    • 2011 May 25, Kellianne Sweeny, The One That Got Away, →ISBN, page 106:
      “I had to dress matronly to get the position. I've had trouble with that before. I have actually been turned away for a position as stewardess because I was too pretty.”

Translations[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

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