matronage: Meaning and Definition of

ma•tron•age

Pronunciation: (mā'tru-nij, ma'-), [key]
— n.
  1. the state of being a matron.
  2. guardianship by a matron.
  3. matrons collectively.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.