matronly
adverb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L194362 on Wikidata ↗adjective
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L338319 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈmeɪtɹənli/
adj
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.
- In the capacity of a matron; serving as a housekeeper or head nurse.
“The door opened, but it was to admit a middle-aged matronly lady with good-humour and domestic capability proclaimed by every detail of her smiling face and easy manner.”
- Exuding the authority, wisdom, power, and intelligence of an experienced woman.
“c. 1977, Janeane Garofalo, a skit the matronly upper arms girls know about life and love and losing”
- Having the appearance of a mature woman, often of larger physical stature and somewhat unkempt or dowdy.
“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.”
adv
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.
- In the manner of a matron.
“The mother dressed matronly, in a bonnet and in black, always sat between her two big daughters, firm, directing, and repressed.”
“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.”