matron

Matron is a term for a mature, typically married woman, and in modern usage describes a female who holds an overseeing role in an institution. Etymology: from Latin matrona meaning married woman, via Old French matron, the term entered English in the late Middle Ages.

In hospitals, particularly in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries, a matron is a senior nurse or administrator responsible for nursing standards, patient welfare, and staff discipline; the role may include supervision of wards, recruitment, and liaison with medical staff. In boarding schools, charities, or residential facilities, a matron acts as a senior female supervisor, overseeing living quarters, welfare, and daily routines.

Historically the term also implied respect as a married woman of standing; in religious houses a matron might oversee female residents or novices. In modern general usage the term is more specialized to institutional leadership; in everyday language 'matron' can be archaic or formal and is less common for referring to an adult woman outside such roles.