Middle English Dictionary Entry
mātrọ̄ne n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mātrọ̄ne n. Also matroun. |
| Etymology | L mātrōna & OF matrone. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A married woman, usually of mature years and socially respectable; (b) a married woman, competent to make medical judgments on sexual infirmity; (c) a married female saint.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1657 : Whan that this Matrone herde The manere how this knyht ansuerde, [etc.].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5519 : Ȝonge maydenes & matrones olde Sobbe and siȝe.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.48/4 : A doughtir, whome he..whan she came to age of mariage put..to a matrone..the whiche..studied to enforme her.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)255 : There come on al sides maydenes and goode matrones goynge with her.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2199 : Noble matrones, which han al suffisaunce Off womanhed..ay prouideth..That no such foly entre your corage To folwe Dido.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)330 : Matrone, eld woman: Matrona.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)5865 : Þe matrone..to hyr husbonde..seyde, [etc.].
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)100a : Þan þe worschipfulle matrones, or ladyes & worþi wifes, and oþer wommen of Rome, when þei herde telle þat her housbondes lakkede heer..to make strynges for her schot, þei kutte of her tresses.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)60 : A gret company of men and wommen..and specyally amongst hem maydens and noble matrones waylede moost.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)6/1 : Sche sat a-mong oþir matrones of hir knowlech, of whech women summe had merkys in her face whech her husbandis had mad.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)p.139 : Here entreth six women in sut, dysgysyde..thre as matrones, wyth wondyrfull vysurs conregent.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)3161 : Thus halp oure lady this matroun.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)910 : Vyrgyns pure, and also innocentes, Hooly matronys with chaste contynentes.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)150b/b : Afterward haue he a matrone, i. a huswife vsed in sich þingez [L matronam], And commaund he þat þai lie togider by som certane daiez, þe selfe matrone [L ipsa matrona] beyng present.
c
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)34/10 : Sum day steiȝe to eche þat noumbre elleuen þousande of virgynes & matrones, sum day fewer, sum day moo.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)128 : Therfore, oure modyr, all holy chyrche clere Of thys holy matrone [St. Anne] doth both ioy and syng.
- a1500 Ihesus for thi holy name (BodPoet e.1)p.213 : O yow blyssed matrones, Anne and swet Sent Elsabeth, With al the gloryus vyrgyns, Kateryne and noble Sent Margaret.